Rothem Kovner
Associate Research Scientist in NeuroscienceCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Human-specific features of the cerebellum and ZP2-regulated synapse development
Kim S, Cherskov A, Sindhwani A, Choi S, Kim H, Li M, Zhang M, Mato-Blanco X, Liu Y, Micali N, Young D, Estacion M, Zhang Y, Ruiz-Jiménez J, Nadkarni A, Luria V, Sindhu S, Chatterjee I, Shibata A, Liang D, Cho H, Park S, Spajic A, Kovner R, Glavan M, Chen R, Risgaard R, Li X, Pochareddy S, Karger A, Huttner A, Morozov Y, Daadi E, Colantuoni C, Gobeske K, Ely J, Hof P, Daadi M, Sherwood C, Duque A, Ma S, Sousa A, Waxman S, Rakic P, Santpere G, Sanders S, Sestan N. Human-specific features of the cerebellum and ZP2-regulated synapse development. Cell 2026, 189: 1802-1819.e28. PMID: 41819103, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.02.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman granule cellsZona pellucida glycoprotein 2Granule cellsNeuronal electrophysiological activityAdult cerebellar cortexSynapse regulationCognitive functionGlomerular synapsesNon-human primatesCerebellar cortexMotor coordinationMossy fibersGamete interactionGlycoprotein 2Human brainSynapse developmentSynaptic proteinsElectrophysiological activityHuman cerebellumEvolutionary developmentHuman-specific featuresCo-optionCerebellumHuman adaptationChromatin accessibility profiles
2025
The new frontier in understanding human and mammalian brain development
Nowakowski T, Nano P, Matho K, Chen X, Corrigan E, Ding W, Gao Y, Heffel M, Jayakumar J, Kaplan H, Kronman F, Kovner R, Mannens C, Song M, Steyert M, Venkatesan S, Wallace J, Wang L, Werner J, Zhang D, Yuan G, Zuo G, Ament S, Colantuoni C, Dulac C, Fan R, Gillis J, Kriegstein A, Krienen F, Kim Y, Linnarsson S, Mitra P, Pollen A, Sestan N, Tward D, van Velthoven C, Yao Z, Bhaduri A, Zeng H. The new frontier in understanding human and mammalian brain development. Nature 2025, 647: 51-59. PMID: 41193845, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09652-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMammalian brain developmentTranscriptional controlControl of cell fate specificationAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderBrain developmentMeasurement of gene expressionCell fate specificationDeficit hyperactivity disorderCross-species integrationCell-type abundanceMechanisms of brain functionHyperactivity disorderNeuropsychiatric disordersFate specificationModel organismsWhole-brainNon-human primatesBrain functionComprehensive cell atlasCell atlasNeurodevelopmental disordersDisease vulnerabilityGene expressionMotor impairmentHuman brain54. Molecular Specification of Claustro-Amygdalar and Paleocortical Excitatory Neurons and Connectivity
Kaur N, Kovner R, Andrijevic D, Zhu T, Shibata M, Shibata A, Pattabiraman K, Minuer Y, Picciotto M, Huang H, Sestan N. 54. Molecular Specification of Claustro-Amygdalar and Paleocortical Excitatory Neurons and Connectivity. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 97: s117. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.02.291.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpecification of claustro-amygdalar and palaeocortical neurons and circuits
Kaur N, Kovner R, Gulden F, Pletikos M, Andrijevic D, Zhu T, Silbereis J, Shibata M, Shibata A, Liu Y, Ma S, Salla N, de Martin X, Klarić T, Burke M, Franjic D, Cho H, Yuen M, Chatterjee I, Soric P, Esakkimuthu D, Moser M, Santpere G, Mineur Y, Pattabiraman K, Picciotto M, Huang H, Sestan N. Specification of claustro-amygdalar and palaeocortical neurons and circuits. Nature 2025, 638: 469-478. PMID: 39814878, PMCID: PMC11821539, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08361-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBasolateral amygdala complexPrefrontal cortex connectivityPrefrontal cortexNeuropsychiatric disordersExcitatory neuronsSymptoms of neuropsychiatric disordersEarly-life disruptionAmygdala complexPiriform cortexTemporal cortexDevelopmental shiftReciprocal connectionsCortexClaustrumBehavior modificationSensory informationTranscription factor SOX4DisordersTfap2dNeuronsSimilar alterationsCross-species analysisPiriformSOX11Transcription factors
2023
Gene expression in the primate orbitofrontal cortex related to anxious temperament
Kenwood M, Souaiaia T, Kovner R, Fox A, French D, Oler J, Roseboom P, Riedel M, Mueller S, Kalin N. Gene expression in the primate orbitofrontal cortex related to anxious temperament. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2305775120. PMID: 38011550, PMCID: PMC10710052, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305775120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStress-related psychopathologyAnxiety disordersAnxious temperamentPsychiatric disordersBehavioral inhibitionOrbitofrontal cortexAnxiety-related brain regionsPrevalent psychiatric disordersIndividual differencesPrimate orbitofrontal cortexLaser capture microdissectionGlucocorticoid signalingEarly riskTreatment targetsAnxiety-related temperamentBrain regionsSubcortical structuresPrefrontal cortexTranslational modelSignificant sufferingDisordersCortexCapture microdissection