Research Topics
| K C CataniaSummaryAffiliation: Vanderbilt University Country: USA Publications
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Publications
Evolution of brains and behavior for optimal foraging: a tale of two predatorsKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:10701-8. 2012..The latter may, in turn, prevent snakes from becoming prey when feeding. Findings in these two unusual predators emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for understanding the evolution of brains and behavior...
Tactile sensing in specialized predators - from behavior to the brainKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, United States
Curr Opin Neurobiol 22:251-8. 2012..But understanding their function and the significance of the central nervous system correlates requires the careful documentation of behavior inherent to a neuroethological approach...
Heterochrony and developmental modularity of cranial osteogenesis in lipotyphlan mammalsDaisuke Koyabu
Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universitat Zurich, Karl Schmid Strasse 4, CH 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
Evodevo 2:21. 2011..abstract:..
Molecular basis of a novel adaptation to hypoxic-hypercapnia in a strictly fossorial moleKevin L Campbell
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
BMC Evol Biol 10:214. 2010..g., 2,3-diphosphoglycerate; DPG), or by suppressing the sensitivity of Hb to these physiological cofactors...
Asymptotic prey profitability drives star-nosed moles to the foraging speed limitKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Box 351634, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Nature 433:519-22. 2005..The exceptional speed of star-nosed moles, coupled with unusual specializations for finding and eating tiny prey, provide new support for optimal foraging theory...
Evolution of sensory specializations in insectivoresKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 287:1038-50. 2005..In the case of the star-nosed mole, the somatosensory system has a tactile fovea and shares a number of features in common with the visual systems of sighted mammals...
Star-nosed molesKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University VU Station B, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Curr Biol 15:R863-4. 2005
Olfaction: underwater 'sniffing' by semi-aquatic mammalsKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Box 35 1634, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Nature 444:1024-5. 2006..This newly described behaviour provides a mechanism for mammalian olfaction underwater...
Water shrews detect movement, shape, and smell to find prey underwaterKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Box 35 1634, Nashville, TN 37235 1634, USA
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:571-6. 2008..We conclude that water shrews detect motion, shape, and smell to find prey underwater. The short latency of attacks to water movements suggests shrews may use a flush-pursuit strategy to capture some prey...
Touching on somatosensory specializations in mammalsKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Curr Opin Neurobiol 16:467-73. 2006..Finally, manipulation of patterning genes in mice suggests evolutionary mechanisms for producing the specialized corticies of subterranean species...
Worm grunting, fiddling, and charming--humans unknowingly mimic a predator to harvest baitKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
PLoS ONE 3:e3472. 2008..In response to the vibrations, worms emerge to the surface where thousands can be gathered in a few hours. Why do these earthworms suddenly exit their burrows in response to vibrations, exposing themselves to predation?..
Tentacled snakes turn C-starts to their advantage and predict future prey behaviorKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B, Box 35 1634, Nashville, TN 37235 1634, USA
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:11183-7. 2009..The results provide an example of a rare predator taking advantage of a prey's normally adaptive escape circuitry and suggest that the snake's sensory-motor system is adapted to predict future behavior...
Function of the appendages in tentacled snakes (Erpeton tentaculatus)K C Catania
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
J Exp Biol 213:359-67. 2010..We conclude the tentacles are mechanosensors that are used to detect fish position based on water movements and that visual and mechanosensory cues may be integrated in the tectum to enhance localization when visual cues are reduced...
Born knowing: tentacled snakes innately predict future prey behaviorKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
PLoS ONE 5:e10953. 2010..To exploit this latter response, snakes must predict the future location of the fish. Adult snakes can make this prediction. Is it learned, or are tentacled snakes born able to predict future fish behavior?..
Organization of sensory cortex in the East African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)K C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 421:256-74. 2000..Hedgehog cortical organization differs significantly in somatotopy, number, and position of fields from that of closely related shrews and moles. Thus, clear specializations occur, even within the order Insectivora...
The brain and behavior of the tentacled snakeKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Ann N Y Acad Sci 1225:83-9. 2011..Mechanosensory information from the tentacles projects to the optic tectum in approximate register with vision, providing a mechanism for integrating visual and mechanosensory cues for identifying, localizing, and capturing prey...
A star in the brainstem reveals the first step of cortical magnificationKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
PLoS ONE 6:e22406. 2011..The early development of the 11(th), foveal appendage could provide a mechanism for the most important afferents to capture the most CNS space...
Tactile foveation in the star-nosed moleKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Brain Behav Evol 63:1-12. 2004....
Somatosensory cortex dominated by the representation of teeth in the naked mole-rat brainKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:5692-7. 2002..These findings indicate that major cortical remodeling has occurred in naked mole-rats, paralleling the anatomical and behavioral specializations related to fossorial life...
Cortical organization in insectivora: the parallel evolution of the sensory periphery and the brainK C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Brain Behav Evol 55:311-21. 2000..These specializations include expansion of cortical representations (cortical magnification), the addition or loss of cortical areas in the processing network, and the subdivision of areas into modules (barrels and stripes)...
Early development of a somatosensory fovea: a head start in the cortical space race?K C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Box 1812, Station B, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Nat Neurosci 4:353-4. 2001..This developmental sequence may provide the fovea with an advantage in a competition for cortical space, and account for the much larger areas of cortex devoted to foveal afferents...
Areal and callosal connections in the somatosensory cortex of the star-nosed moleK C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Somatosens Mot Res 18:303-11. 2001..This included label both within septa and within the centers of cytochrome oxidase dense modules representing midline appendages...
Cortical-organization in moles: evidence of new areas and a specialized S2K C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Somatosens Mot Res 17:335-47. 2000..Since this part of S2 projects directly to the cervical spinal cord, the specialization may provide adaptive sensorimotor functions related to digging...
Barrels, stripes, and fingerprints in the brain - implications for theories of cortical organizationKenneth C Catania
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
J Neurocytol 31:347-58. 2002....
Epidermal sensory organs of moles, shrew moles, and desmans: a study of the family talpidae with comments on the function and evolution of Eimer's organK C Catania
Department of Biological Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 1634, USA
Brain Behav Evol 56:146-74. 2000..Finally, a mechanism for Eimer's organ function in detecting object and prey specific surface features is proposed...
Organization of somatosensory cortex and distribution of corticospinal neurons in the eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus)K C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 378:337-53. 1997..The dense corticospinal projections from the forelimb representation of S1 and motor cortex may reflect sensorimotor specializations related to digging behaviors in moles...
A histologically visible representation of the fingers and palm in primate area 3b and its immutability following long-term deafferentationsN Jain
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
Cereb Cortex 8:227-36. 1998..The isomorph can provide a reference in studies of somatotopic reorganization...
A nose that looks like a hand and acts like an eye: the unusual mechanosensory system of the star-nosed moleK C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
J Comp Physiol A 185:367-72. 1999..The many surprising parallels between the somatosensory system of the mole, and the visual systems of other mammals, suggest a convergent and perhaps common organization for highly developed sensory systems...
Anatomic correlates of the face and oral cavity representations in the somatosensory cortical area 3b of monkeysN Jain
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 429:455-68. 2001....
Somatosensory fovea in the star-nosed mole: behavioral use of the star in relation to innervation patterns and cortical representationK C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 387:215-33. 1997..A simple model of star-nosed mole behavior predicts the distribution of touches across the rays and also correlates highly with both the actual pattern of behavior and the patterns of cortical magnification observed...
Cortical organization in shrews: evidence from five speciesK C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 410:55-72. 1999..However, the small areas remain discrete, well organized, and functional. This cortical organization in shrews is likely a derived condition, because a wide range of extant mammals have a greater number of cortical subdivisions...
The development of a biological novelty: a different way to make appendages as revealed in the snout of the star-nosed mole Condylura cristataK C Catania
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
J Exp Biol 202:2719-26. 1999..Adults of a different mole species (Scapanus townsendii) exhibit a star-like pattern that resembles an embryonic stage of the star-nosed mole, suggesting that the development of the star recapitulates stages of its evolution...
Organization of somatosensory cortex in the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus): Evidence for two lateral areas joined at the representation of the teethMichael S Remple
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA
J Comp Neurol 467:105-18. 2003..These modules closely correspond to the physiologically identified areas representing the lower incisor (OM1) and tongue (OM2) regions of S1 and the mixed tooth (OM3), forelimb (FM1), and hindlimb (HM) representations of S2 and PV...
Organization of somatosensory cortex in the Northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), a predatory rodentDiana K Sarko
Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
J Comp Neurol 519:64-74. 2011....
Cessation of reproduction-related spine elongation after multiple breeding cycles in female naked mole-ratsChristine M Dengler-Crish
Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Anat Rec (Hoboken) 292:131-7. 2009..Anat Rec, 2009. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc...
How do features of sensory representations develop?Jon H Kaas
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
Bioessays 24:334-43. 2002..These and other variable features of sensory maps are most readily accommodated by theories that involve roles for instruction by evoked and spontaneous neural activity patterns...
Plasticity of the cortical dentition representation after tooth extraction in naked mole-ratsErin C Henry
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
J Comp Neurol 485:64-74. 2005..These data parallel findings in the somatosensory hand area of primates after deafferentation where cortex can become activated by a mixture of widely spaced surrounding sensory surfaces (e.g., chin and upper arm)...
Organization of somatosensory cortical areas in the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber)Erin C Henry
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
J Comp Neurol 495:434-52. 2006..The orofacial modules in lateral cortex resemble similar modules reported to relate to oral structures previously described in the laboratory rat, owl monkey, and squirrel monkey...
Cortical, callosal, and thalamic connections from primary somatosensory cortex in the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), with special emphasis on the connectivity of the incisor representationErin C Henry
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 288:626-45. 2006....
Variation in ovarian morphology in four species of New World moles with a peniform clitorisN M Rubenstein
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Reproduction 126:713-9. 2003....
Response properties of primary afferents supplying Eimer's organPaul D Marasco
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
J Exp Biol 210:765-80. 2007..These results support the hypothesis that Eimer's organ functions to detect small surface features and textures by encoding and integrating deflection information for multiple Eimer's organs during brief touches...
Organization of the somatosensory cortex in elephant shrews (E. edwardii)Christine M Dengler-Crish
Vanderbilt University Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 288:859-66. 2006..Despite the elephant shrew's exceptionally well-developed eyes, ears, and vibrissae, there were no anatomical correlates to sensory areas, or body part representations (e.g., barrels), that could be identified in the flatted cortex...
Neuroanatomical evidence for segregation of nerve fibers conveying light touch and pain sensation in Eimer's organ of the molePaul D Marasco
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, U1205 Medical Center North, Nashville, TN 37232-2050, USA
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:9339-44. 2006..Our results suggest that the free nerve endings innervating Eimer's organ are largely mechanosensitive and may play an important role in the rapid sensory discrimination observed in these species...
Growing out of a caste--reproduction and the making of the queen mole-ratErin C Henry
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
J Exp Biol 210:261-8. 2007....
Phenotypic plasticity in female naked mole-rats after removal from reproductive suppressionChristine M Dengler Crish
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
J Exp Biol 210:4351-8. 2007....
Fine structure of Eimer's organ in the coast mole (Scapanus orarius)Paul D Marasco
Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Anat Rec (Hoboken) 290:437-48. 2007..Merkel cell-neurite complexes and lamellated corpuscles are similar in morphology to those found in a range of other mammalian skin...
Central projections of trigeminal afferents innervating the face in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber)Erin C Henry
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235 1634, USA
Anat Rec (Hoboken) 291:988-98. 2008..Dental afferents in more rostral portions of the TBNC were coextensive with a cytochrome oxidase-dense region visible in alternate sections processed for chemoarchitecture...
Central visual system of the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber)Samuel D Crish
Department of Biological Sciences and Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 288:205-12. 2006..Taken together, these data suggest that light detection may still play an important role in the lives of these "blind" animals: most likely for circadian entrainment or setting seasonal rhythms...
Receptive fields and response properties of neurons in the star-nosed mole's somatosensory foveaRobert N S Sachdev
Division of Life Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, 78249, USA
J Neurophysiol 87:2602-11. 2002..The small receptive fields, short latencies, and inhibitory surrounds are consistent with the star's role in rapidly determining the locations and identities of objects in a complex tactile environment...
The nose takes a starring roleKenneth C Catania
Sci Am 287:54-9. 2002
Somatosensation in the superior colliculus of the star-nosed moleSamuel D Crish
Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
J Comp Neurol 464:415-25. 2003..Layers IVb-VII were identified, and a layer superficial to IVb contained neurons that responded to somatosensory stimulation, suggesting that there are unique patterns of afferents in the star-nosed mole's SC...
Telomerase activity coevolves with body mass not lifespanAndrei Seluanov
Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
Aging Cell 6:45-52. 2007..These results suggest that large body mass presents a greater risk of cancer than long lifespan, and large animals evolve repression of telomerase activity to mitigate that risk...
Identification of retinal neurons in a regressive rodent eye (the naked mole-rat)Stephen L Mills
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston 77030, USA
Vis Neurosci 21:107-17. 2004..The results suggest that image formation is not very important in these animals, but that circuits beyond those required for circadian entrainment remain in place...
