Nelson Totah received his BS in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University in 2004. While at Emory, he was mentored by Dr. Paul Plotsky (Stress Neurobiology Laboratory, Dept. of Psychiatry) and he developed a passion for neuroscience research through studying the physiology of the brain’s response to stress. Nelson moved to Pittsburgh in 2005 to study as a doctoral student at the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, he is a graduate student fellow at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, a joint University of Pittsburgh - Carnegie Mellon University center for studying cognition. In Dr. Moghaddam’s laboratory, Nelson studies the neural mechanisms underlying attention and decision-making by recording neurons in the rat prefrontal cortex during operant tasks. He also is interested in how neuromodulators, such as dopamine, affect cortical processing during decision-making.
Nelson’s interests extend beyond laboratory research and into science policy and education. In 2000, as he was starting his degree at Emory University, he founded the Science National Honor Society, a non-profit organization focused on supporting high school science education throughout the United States. He has co-directed a mentored research program for students and conducted educational research on novel teaching methods.
In addition to his neuroscience and education interests, Nelson has been a licensed Emergency Medical Technician since 2001 and has worked for 911 EMS services in Houston, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. He also works on a U.S. federal disaster medical response team.
Articles
Totah, N.K., Jackson, M.E., Moghaddam, B. (2012) Preparatory attention relies on dynamic interactions between prelimbic cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Cerebral Cortex, doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhs057.
Totah, N.K.B., Kim, Y.B., Homayoun, H., Moghaddam, B. (2009) Anterior cingulate neurons represent errors and preparatory attention within the same behavioral sequence. Journal of Neuroscience,20:6418.
Book Chapters
Totah, N.K.B., Plotsky, P.M. (2005) Refining the categorical landscape of the DSM: The role of animal models. In Relational Processes and DSM-V: Neuroscience, Assessment, Prevention and Intervention. Beach SRH, et al.(Eds.) Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Abstracts
Totah, N.K.B., Jackson, M., Moghaddam, B. (2010) Local field potential and single unit activity in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex during a sustained attention task. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Schizophrenia International Research Society Congress, Florence, Italy.
Totah, N.K.B., Moghaddam, B. (2009) The effects of methylphenidate on single unit activity and local field potential oscillations in anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex during preparatory attention. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL.
Pehrson, A.L., Totah, N.K.B., Moghaddam, B. (2009) Inhibition of NMDA or GABA-A receptors but not reduction of GAD activity in the prefrontal cortex impairs preparatory attention. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL.
Totah, N.K.B., Homayoun, H., Kim, Y.B., Moghaddam, B. (2008) Sub-region specific neuronal activity in the rat prelimbic cortex and cingulate cortex during a sustained attention task. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
Totah, N.K.B., Homayoun, H., Moghaddam, B. (2007) Neuronal activity in the rat prelimbic prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex during a sustained attention task. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Gordon Research Conference on Catecholamines, Oxford, England, U.K.
Totah, N.K.B., Homayoun, H., Moghaddam, B. (2007) Neuronal activity in the rat prelimbic prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex during a sustained attention task. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Totah, N.K.B., Homayoun, H., Moghaddam, B. (2006) Characterization of a "three-choice" serial reaction time task as a model for studying the neuronal basis of visual attention and executive functions in the rat. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta, GA.
Totah, N.K.B., Hayslett, R., Morris, L.G., Lurtz, M.M., Frantz, K.J. (2005) Capturing student interest: High school apprenticeships in neuroscience. [Abstract for poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
Totah, N.K.B., Nair, H.P., Young, L.J., Luiken, J., Plotsky, P.M. (2004) Retroviral transfer of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) into adult and neonatal rat brain: Functional and neurobiological evidence of action. [Abstract and presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Totah, N.K.B., Morris, L.G., Lurtz, M.M., Waikel, R.L., Gray, D., Frantz, K.J. (2004) Becoming a scientist: High school apprenticeships in neuroscience. [Abstract & poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Totah
