Dendritic Integration Research Group

Research

Dendritic processes of cortical neurons do not passively integrate signals but can actively process pre- and post-synaptic information. Glutamatergic principal cells and the diverse classes of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons express different sets of ionic conductances across their dendritic trees enabling them to perform distinct computational operations which greatly enrich the information processing power of cortical circuits. Using a broad array of experimental techniques such as patch clamp, 2-photon uncaging and optogenetics, voltage and Ca2+-imaging both in vivo and in vitro combined with neuronal modelling, we aim to understand how the different modes of dendritic integration influence neural network dynamics and animal behavior.

Whole-cell recordings combined with optogenetics and single-cell modelling allow us to investigate the properties and function of GABAergic interneurons in hippocampal circuits (left). We use voltage imaging of principal cells and interneurons to study their dendritic electrical properties with high temporal and spatial resolution (right).

Using 2-Photon in vivo recordings of Ca2+ activity in single cells, we investigate how non-linear dendritic events contribute to the hippocampal coding of space in virtual environments.

Using recordings of Ca2+ activity in freely-moving mice, we investigate neuronal dynamics during complex behaviors as spatial exploration or social interaction across subsequent days, and simultaneously control neuronal activity using optogenetics.