Helen Barbas, PhD

Scholarly, Research, and/or Practice Interests

• Organization of the prefrontal cortex; patterns of neural interactions; computational neuroscience; evolution of the neocortex; neural basis of cognitive-emotional interactions.

Courses Taught

• HS 550 Neural Systems
• HS 745 Advanced Regional Anatomy
• HS 755 Readings in Neuroscience

Selected Publications

• Barbas H. General Cortical and Special Prefrontal Connections: Principles from Structure to Function. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2015 Apr 16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 25897871
• Barbas H, García-Cabezas MÁ. Motor cortex layer 4: less is more. Trends Neurosci. 2015 May;38(5):259-61. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.03.005. Epub 2015 Apr 10. PMID: 25868984
• Barbas H., Zikopoulos, B. Towards patient-specific targeting and parameter setting of deep brain stimulation for relief of depression. Commentary. Biol. Psychiatry 76: 914-916, 2014.
• Timbie C, Barbas H. Specialized pathways from the primate amygdala to posterior orbitofrontal cortex. J Neurosci. 2014 Jun 11;34(24):8106-18.
• Medalla M, Barbas H. Specialized prefrontal “auditory fields”: organization of primate prefrontal-temporal pathways. Front Neurosci. 2014 Apr 16;8:77.
• García-Cabezas MÁ, Barbas H. Area 4 has layer IV in adult primates. Eur J Neurosci. 2014 Jun;39(11):1824-34.
• Zikopoulos B, Barbas H. Altered neural connectivity in excitatory and inhibitory cortical circuits in autism. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013 Sep 27;7:609.
• Bunce JG, Zikopoulos B, Feinberg M, Barbas H. Parallel prefrontal pathways reach distinct excitatory and inhibitory systems in memory-related rhinal cortices. J Comp Neurol. 2013 Dec 15;521(18):4260-83.
• Hoistad, M. and Barbas. Sequence of information processing for emotions through pathways linking temporal and insular cortices with the amygdala. NeuroImage 40: 1016-1033, 2008.
• Barbas, H. Executive function: the prefrontal cortex: structure and anatomy. Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, 2008, in press.
• Wang, X-J., Barbas, H. and Knight, R.T. Dynamic landscape of the frontal lobe: a tribute to Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic. Cerebral Cortex 17: 114-15, 2007.
• Hilgetag, C. C. and Barbas, H. Why does the outer surface of the brain have folds? Response in: Scientific American Mind, June/July 2007, p86.
• Zikopoulos, B. and Barbas, H. Parallel driving and modulatory pathways link the prefrontal cortex and thalamus. PLoS ONE 2(9): e848, 2007.
• Barbas, H. Specialized elements of orbitofrontal cortex in primates Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1121:10-32, 2007.
• Fiala, J.C., Feinberg, M., Peters, A. and Barbas, H. Mitochondrial degeneration in dystrophic neurites of senile plaques may lead to extracellular deposition of fine filaments. Brain Structure and Function 212: 195-207, 2007.
• Barbas, H. and Zikopoulos, B. The prefrontal cortex and flexible behavior. The Neuroscientist 13: 532-545, 2007.
• Medalla, M., Lera, P., Feinberg, M. and Barbas, H. Specificity in inhibitory systems associated with prefrontal pathways to temporal cortex in primates. Cerebral Cortex 17 Supplement 1: i136-i150, 2007.
• Barbas, H. Flow of information for emotions through temporal and orbitofrontal pathways. J. Anatomy 211: 237-249, 2007.
• Zikopoulos, B. and Barbas, H. Circuits for multisensory integration and attentional modulation through the prefrontal cortex and the thalamic reticular nucleus in primates. Reviews in the Neurosciences 18: 1-25, 2007.
• Ghashghaei, H.T., Hilgetag, C.C., and Barbas, H. Sequence of information processing for emotions based on the anatomic dialogue between prefrontal cortex and amygdala. NeuroImage 34: 905-923, 2007. (E-pub ahead of print, 2006).

Selected Presentations

• Chicago talk, Oct. 2008
• “How the frontal lobe controls the mind’s eye”. 26th Symposium of the Center for Visual Science (CVS): “Blurring The Borders Between Vision, Cognition And Action. Rochester, May 29, 2008.
• “Laminar-specific prefrontal pathways for excitatory and inhibitory control.” MBL, Banbury Center, N.Y., May 6, 2008.
• “Prefrontal pathways for cognition, emotion and action”. ADAA, Savannah, GA, March 6, 2008.
• SAR, Feb. 4, Prefrontal cortex: the brain’s chief executive. 2008
• What is mathematics? Research by Undergraduates in Mathematics Boston University, panel discussion, Boston University, November 10, 2007.
• “How does the prefrontal cortex inhibit irrelevant signals?” NaK, Math, BU, Oct. 10, 2007.
• “Cortical organization”. Wood’s Hole, August 20, 2007.
• “Principles and models emerging from quantitative architecture and connections”. Wood’s Hole, August 20, 2007.

Research Funding

(including only those for which Professor Barbas is the P.I.)

• Autistm Speaks, 2008-2010
• NIH/NINDS, 2005-2010
• NIH/NIMH, 1/1/2005-12/31/2009
• NIH/NINDS, 2001-2005
• NIH/NIMH, 1999-2004
• National Institutes of Health Grant, 1987-2,001 (3 sequential grants).
• Accelerated Res. Gr., Boston Univ., 1994.
• National Science Foundation Grant, 1984-1987.
• BRSG, Boston University, 1981-1982, 1982-1983, 1987-1988, 1990.
• N.I.H. NRSA fellowship, 1981.
• N.I.H. Traineeship, Harvard Medical School, Dec. 1978-Dec. 1980.
• Faculty of Medicine Fellowship, McGill University, 1978.
• University Fellowship, McGill University, 1977-1978; Summer fellowship, 1976.
• Medical Research Council Scholarship, McGill University, 1975-1977.
• Foreign Exchange Student Scholarship, Kean College, 1968-1972.
• Fulbright Scholarship, 1968-1972.

Professional Activities

• Society for Neuroscience
• International Brain Research Organization
• Montreal Physiological Society
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• National Coalition for Science and Technology
• IFCN 7 Study Section, Ad hoc reviewer, 2004.
• COG Study Section member, Ad hoc Reviewer, 2004.
• COG Study Section member, 2004-2007.
• Review Panel, Cure Autism Now, 2005-
• Editorial board: Cerebral Cortex, 2005-
• Editorial board: Brain Structure and Function, 2006-
• Section Editor: Brain Structure and Function, 2007-
• Soc. Neurosci., Informatics Committee
• Ad Hoc Reviewer: J. Comp. Neurol.; Cerebral Cortex; Eur. J. Neurosci.; J. Neurosci.; Exp. Brain Res.; Neuroscience; Brain Res.; Exp. Neurol.; Nature Neurosci.; J. Neurophysiol., Behav. Brain Res., BMC Neuroscience; NeuroImage: PNAS; J. Cogn. Neurosci. Hippocampus; Behav. Brain Res. Cambridge Univ. Press (book), and others.
• The National Science Foundation; NIH (National Institute of Aging; NICHHD; NIMH); The Leakey Foundation; The Wellcome Trust (UK); The Guggenheim Foundation. Keck Foundation, reviewer; The NRC (Canada). BU Alzheimer’s Disease Center Internal Scientific Review Committee, 2000- present.

Awards and Honors

• PhD thesis, honorary Dean’s list, McGill University
• BA summa cum laude, Kean College
• Psi Chi
• Liberal Arts and Sciences Honor Society, Kean College
• Fulbright Scholar
• Rodin Remediation Foundation (member)
• Award of Merit, Sargent College (2001)