Listen "CARTA: Oxytocin's Pathway to the Origins of Speech and Dance with Constantina Theofanopoulou"
Episode Synopsis
Dr. Theofanopoulou studies neural circuits behind sensory-motor behaviors like speech and dance, aiming to develop drug- and arts-based therapies for brain disorders. Her brain imaging research reveals overlapping motor cortex regions controlling muscles for speech and dance, while transcriptomic studies show upregulation of the oxytocin gene pathway in key areas like the motor cortex and brainstem. Using zebra finches, Bengalese finches, white-rumped munias, and humans, she demonstrates oxytocin's role in vocal production. She also developed genomic tools to apply these findings across vertebrates. Her future work explores oxytocin-based drugs and dance therapies to treat speech and motor deficits in brain disorders. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 40384]
More episodes of the podcast Science (Audio)
Targeting the MLL Complex in Leukemia
01/10/2025
Lessons from La Jolla Shores
29/09/2025
From Uncertainty to Early Warning: Advancing Sundowner Wind Science to Reduce Wildfire Risk
19/09/2025
Cellular Reprogramming in Human Disease
13/09/2025
Bach Lives!
09/09/2025