Norton W. Milgram

Professor
Office: (416) 287-7402
Lab: (416) 287-7461
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Toronto Scarborough
1265 Military Trail Road
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M1C 1A4

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Research Focus

My research is focused in general on understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory. We are currently engaged in studying learning and memory in both intact organisms (beagle dogs) and in studying the plastic changes in neural transmission that occur through use in rats. The canine project is aimed at developing a canine model of human aging. The initial phases of this research were focused primarily on developing behavioral tools for evaluating cognitive decline in the dog and on correlating cognitive function with age-dependent neuropathology. We have now moved to the next phase, which involves the use of potential interventions. We are currently looking at the effects of a variety of interventions including antioxidants (to counter oxidative stress in the development of age-dependent neuropathology), and various pharmaceutical interventions.

The rodent electrophysiology studied are aimed at characterizing the effects of epileptic seizures on neural transmission, and relating these to changes to modifications in specific proteins in postsynaptic terminals.



Current Research Projects

  1. Development of a canine model of cognitive aging -How does cognitive ability change over the lifespan of the dog.
  2. Effects of antioxidants on age-dependent cognitive decline
  3. Effect of cognitive stress of cognitive performance and on corticosteroid production.
  4. Correlation between age and level of cognitive function on brain structure with the use of structural magnetic resonance imaging.
  5. Protein phosphorylation of NMDA receptor subunits as a function of seizure activity


Research Group

Graduate Students

Araujo, Joe PhD
Chan, Joan MSc
Christie, Lori-Ann MSc
Estrada, Jimena MSc
Michael, Michaley PhD
Nippak, Pria MSc
Siwak, Christina PhD
Tapp, Dwight PhD

Technicians

Howoachuck, Dan Ikeda-Douglas, Candace


Recent Publications

  1. Kogan CS, Boutet I, Cornish K, Graham GE, Berry-Kravis E, Drouin A, Milgram NW. A comparative neuropsychological test battery differentiates cognitive signatures of Fragile X and Down syndrome. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2008 Nov 27.
  2. Poma R, Chambers H, da Costa RC, Konyer NB, Nykamp S, Dobson H, Milgram NW. MRI measurement of the canine auditory pathways and relationship with brainstem auditory evoked responses. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol. 2008;21(3):238-42.
  3. Araujo JA, Landsberg GM, Milgram NW, Miolo A. Improvement of short-term memory performance in aged beagles by a nutraceutical supplement containing phosphatidylserine, Ginkgo biloba, vitamin E, and pyridoxine. Can Vet J. 2008 Apr;49(4):379-85.
  4. Boutet I, Milgram NW, Freedman M. Cognitive decline and human (Homo sapiens) aging: an investigation using a comparative neuropsychological approach. J Comp Psychol. 2007 Aug;121(3):270-81.
  5. Milgram NW, Araujo JA, Hagen TM, Treadwell BV, Ames BN. Acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid supplementation of aged beagle dogs improves learning in two landmark discrimination tests. FASEB J. 2007 Nov;21(13):3756-62. Epub 2007 Jul 10.
  6. Siwak-Tapp CT, Head E, Muggenburg BA, Milgram NW, Cotman CW. Neurogenesis decreases with age in the canine hippocampus and correlates with cognitive function. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2007 Sep;88(2):249-59. Epub 2007 Jun 22.
  7. Nippak PM, Mendelson J, Muggenburg B, Milgram NW. Enhanced spatial ability in aged dogs following dietary and behavioural enrichment. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2007 May;87(4):610-23. Epub 2007 Feb 15.
  8. Siwak-Tapp CT, Head E, Muggenburg BA, Milgram NW, Cotman CW. Region specific neuron loss in the aged canine hippocampus is reduced by enrichment. Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Jan;29(1):39-50. Epub 2006 Nov 7.
  9. Opii WO, Joshi G, Head E, Milgram NW, Muggenburg BA, Klein JB, Pierce WM, Cotman CW, Butterfield DA. Proteomic identification of brain proteins in the canine model of human aging following a long-term treatment with antioxidants and a program of behavioral enrichment: relevance to Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Jan;29(1):51-70. Epub 2006 Oct 20.
  10. Milgram NW, Siwak-Tapp CT, Araujo J, Head E. Neuroprotective effects of cognitive enrichment. Ageing Res Rev. 2006 Aug;5(3):354-69. Epub 2006 Sep 1. Review.
  11. Studzinski CM, Christie LA, Araujo JA, Burnham WM, Head E, Cotman CW, Milgram NW. Visuospatial function in the beagle dog: an early marker of cognitive decline in a model of human aging and dementia. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2006 Sep;86(2):197-204. Epub 2006 Apr 17.
  12. Head E, Barrett EG, Murphy MP, Das P, Nistor M, Sarsoza F, Glabe CC, Kayed R, Milton S, Vasilevko V, Milgram NW, Agadjanyan MG, Cribbs DH, Cotman CW. Immunization with fibrillar Abeta(1-42) in young and aged canines: Antibody generation and characteristics, and effects on CSF and brain Abeta. Vaccine. 2006 Apr 5;24(15):2824-34. Epub 2006 Jan 19.
  13. Nippak PM, Ikeda-Douglas C, Milgram NW. Extensive spatial training does not negate age differences in response latency. Brain Res. 2006 Jan 27;1070(1):171-88. Epub 2006 Feb 7.
  14. Tapp PD, Head K, Head E, Milgram NW, Muggenburg BA, Su MY. Application of an automated voxel-based morphometry technique to assess regional gray and white matter brain atrophy in a canine model of aging. Neuroimage. 2006 Jan 1;29(1):234-44. Epub 2005 Nov 7.
  15. Roudebush P, Zicker SC, Cotman CW, Milgram NW, Muggenburg BA, Head E. Nutritional management of brain aging in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005 Sep 1;227(5):722-8. Review. No abstract available.
  16. Studzinski CM, Araujo JA, Milgram NW. The canine model of human cognitive aging and dementia: pharmacological validity of the model for assessment of human cognitive-enhancing drugs. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;29(3):489-98. Review.
  17. Chan JW, Araujo JA, Zicker SC, Pun TW, Milgram NW. Effect of feeding patterns on performance of a visuospatial memory task in the beagle dog: a novel cognitive-based protocol for assessing satiety. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;29(3):481-8.
  18. Siwak CT, Tapp PD, Head E, Zicker SC, Murphey HL, Muggenburg BA, Ikeda-Douglas CJ, Cotman CW, Milgram NW. Chronic antioxidant and mitochondrial cofactor administration improves discrimination learning in aged but not young dogs. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;29(3):461-9.
  19. Nelson L, Johnson JK, Freedman M, Lott I, Groot J, Chang M, Milgram NW, Head E. Learning and memory as a function of age in Down syndrome: a study using animal-based tasks. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;29(3):443-53.
  20. Boutet I, Ryan M, Kulaga V, McShane C, Christie LA, Freedman M, Milgram NW. Age-associated cognitive deficits in humans and dogs: a comparative neuropsychological approach. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;29(3):433-41.


Teaching

  • NROC61 Neurobiology of Learning and Motivation
  • NROC64 Sensory and Motor Systems
  • NROD60 Cognitive Neuroscience


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