NPB Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior

Earl E. Carstens
Professor
193 Briggs Hall
530.752.6640
eecarstens (at) ucdavis (dot) edu

Degrees:
B.S., Biology, Cornell University, 1972
Ph.D., Neurology, University of North Carolina, 1977


Teaching Interests:
Neuroscience

Research Interests:
Functional organization of pain and itch sensory systems; neurobiological and perceptual analyses of oral irritation. Neural mechanisms of chronic pain and hyperalgesia.

Selected Publications:
Beise, R.D., E. Carstens and L.U.E. Kohlloeffel. 1998. Psychophysical study of stinging pain evoked by brief freezing of superficial skin and ensuing short-lasting changes in sensations of cool and cold pain. Pain 74:275-286.

Dessirier, J.-M., M. O'Mahony, J.-M. Sieffermann and E. Carstens. 1998. Mecamylamine inhibits nicotine but not capsaicin irritation on the tongue: psychophysical evidence that nicotine and capsaicin activate separate molecular receptors. Neurosci. Letters 240:65-68.

Antognini, J.F., M.H. Buonocore, E.A. Disbrow and E. Carstens. 1997. Isoflurane anesthesia blunts cerebral responses to noxious and innocuous stimuli: a fMRI study. Life Sciences 61(24):349-354.

Desserier, J.-M., M.O'Mahony and E. Carstens. 1997. Oral irritant effects of nicotine: psychophysical evidence for decreased sensation following repeated application and lack of cross-desensitization to capsaicin. Chemical Senses 22:483-492.

Carstens, E. 1997. Responses of rat spinal dorsal horn neurons to intracutaneous microinjection of histamine, capsaicin and other irritant. Journal of Neurophysiology 77:2499-2514.

Carstens, E. 1997. No withdrawal from reflexes to assess pain. Pain Forum 6:119-213.

Douglass, D.K. and E. Carstens. 1997. Responses of rat sacral spinal neurons to mechanical and noxious thermal stimulation of the tail. Journal of Neurophysiology 77:611-620.

Jasmin, L., E. Carstens and A. I. Basbaum. 1997. Interneurons presynaptic to rat tail flick motoneurons as mapped by transneuronal transport of pseudorabies virus: few have long ascending collaterals. Neuroscience 76:859-876.

Burkey, A.R., E. Carstens, J.J. Wenniger, J. Tang and L. Jasmin. 1996. An opioidergic cortical antiociception triggering site in the agranular insular cortex of the rat that contributes to morphine antiociception. Journal of Neuroscience 16:6612-6623.

Carstens, E. 1996. Quantitative experimental assessment of pain and the underlying neural mechanisms. Programs in Brain Research 110:17-31.

Takaishi, K., J.H. Eisele, Jr. and E. Carstens. 1996. Behavioral and electro-physiological assessment of hyperalgesia and changes in dorsal horn responses following partial sciatic nerve ligation in rats. Pain 66:297-306.

Carstens, E. 1995. Neural mechanisms of hyperanalgesia: peripheral or central sensitization. News in Physiological Sciences 10:260-265.

Carstens, E. and D. K. Douglass. 1995. Midbrain suppression of limb withdrawal and tail flick reflexes in the rat: correlates with descending inhibition of sacral spinal neurons. Journal of Neurophysiology 73(6):2179-2194.

Carstens, E., I. Saxe, and R. Ralph. 1995. Brain stem neurons expressing c-fos immunoreactivity following irritant chemical stimulation of the rat's tongue. Neuroscience 69(3):939-953.

Carstens, E. 1993. Quantitative assessment of nocifensive behavioral responses and the underlying neuronal circuitry. Der Schmerz 7:204-215.

Carstens, E. and C. G. Wilson. 1993. Rat tail flick reflex: magnitude measurement of stimulus-response function, suppression by morphine, and habituation. Journal of Neurophysiology 70:630-639.

Carstens, E. and D. Ansley. 1993. Hindlimb flexion withdrawal evoked by noxious heat in conscious rats: magnitude measurement of stimulus-response function, suppression by morphine, and habituation. Journal of Neurophysiology 70:621-629.

Carstens, E. 1993. Is skin temperature a significant confounding factor in the tail flick test? Journal of the American Pain Society 2:112.

Affiliation:
Center for Neuroscience