Dr. Cohen’s main research interest focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie cognitive impairments associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In particular, he investigates alterations in neuronal excitability in the limbic system of the brain. This system has been shown to play a primary role in higher cognitive function (e.g. learning and memory) and is damaged in TBI. Dr. Cohen and his team recently found that alterations in glial and neuronal cellular metabolism can contribute to regional shifts in hippocampal network excitability.

Dr. Cohen’s lab uses a variety of techniques to understand the nature and functional consequences of injury-induced alterations. His studies involve contextual fear-conditioning as a behavioral means to assess cognitive impairments and extracellular field potential recording to evaluate the functional status of the injured hippocampus. His team also uses unbiased stereology to quantify the degree of cell death. Single-cell recording techniques are used to probe the changes to both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission following injury.

In addition, Dr. Cohen’s lab uses biochemical methods to examine specific proteins that have been altered by injury and may be underlying synaptic and/or circuit dysfunction. High-pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry allow Dr. Cohen to quantitate and examine alterations in glial and neuronal metabolic pathways. The combination of these methodologies should help elucidate putative mechanisms causing injury-induced cognitive deficits. A better understanding of these injury-induced alterations will provide insight for directing the development of potential therapies that aim to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in patients who have suffered TBI.