Dr Frankie MacMillan

Summary

We combine functional anatomical approaches and immunocytochemical techniques to investigate differences in sensory input mediated by Aδ or C fibres.  We are interested in how these inputs may be differentially modulated at the level of the spinal cord by descending control mechanisms from higher brain centres.  Such control mechanisms may underlie the patterns of change in nociceptive responsiveness and autonomic outflow that are associated with different behavioural states and that accompany certain pathophysiological conditions.

My main area of expertise and therefore input to these projects is in immunocytochemical techniques and tract tracing techniques. Immunocytochemistry allows us to identify chemically distinct groups of neurones or groups of neurones and those that have been activated by visualisation the immediate early gene Fos. The tract tracing techniques we use allow us to identify the projections of these neurones to sites where we know the physiological consequesnce of stimulation.

Memberships

Organisations

School of Physiology and Pharmacology

Other sites

• Medical-school
• Neuroscience

Research Themes

• Education Research

Links

•   home page

Recent publications

• Langton, P, MacMillan, F, Helyer, R, Lloyd, E, Headley, P & Harris, J 2009, ‘Successful implementation of mandatory on-line pre-laboratory quizzes across several first year Units in Physiology: Why, what, when and how much?’. in: Unknown., pp. SA32
• Parry, D, MacMillan, F, Koutsikou, S, McMullan, S & Lumb, B 2008, ‘Separation of A- versus C-nociceptive inputs into spinal-brainstem circuits’. Neuroscience, vol 152(4)., pp. 1076 - 1085
• Koutsikou, S, Parry, D, MacMillan, F & Lumb, B 2007, ‘Laminar organization of spinal dorsal horn neurones activated by C- vs. A-heat nociceptors and their descending control from the periaqueductal grey in the rat’. European Journal of Neuroscience, vol 26 (4)., pp. 943 - 952
• Lumb, B, Parry, D, Semenenko, F, McMullan, S & Simpson, D 2002, ‘C-nociceptor activation of hypothalamic neurones and the columnar organisation of their projections to the periaqeductal grey in the rat’. Exp. Physiol, vol 87., pp. 117 - 122

View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system