Neuroligins (Nlgns) are postsynaptic cell adhesion molecules that form transynaptic complexes with presynaptic neurexins and regulate synapse maturation and plasticity. We studied the impact of the loss of Nlgn4 on the excitatory and inhibitory circuits in ...
Inhibitory GABAergic interneurons have been extensively studied but their contribution to circuit dynamics remain poorly understood. Although it has been suggested that interneurons, especially those belonging to the same subclass, synchronize their activi ...
In this thesis, we systematically characterised the circuitry, cellular composition and synaptic connectivity of layer 1 (L1) of the somatosensory cortex of juvenile rats (post natal days 13-16). Electrophysiological and morphological parameters were measu ...
The cortex must maintain balanced levels of neural activity to correctly integrate inputs and to provide contextually meaningful outputs. Neuronal excitation is counterbalanced by various forms of inhibition such as spike frequency adaptation, short- and l ...
Mensi S, Naud R, Pozzorini C, Avermann M, Petersen CCH, Gerstner W. Parameter extraction and classification of three cortical neuron types reveals two distinct adaptation mechanisms. J Neurophysiol 107: 1756-1775, 2012. First published December 7, 2011; do ...
Recently, CMOS-based microelectrode arrays containing a high-density of electrodes have emerged as a tool enabling recording the extracellular neural electrical activity of cell cultures at subcellular resolution. However, several improvements in areas suc ...
Robberechts Q, Wijnants M, Giugliano M, De Schutter E. Longterm depression at parallel fiber to Golgi cell synapses. J Neurophysiol 104: 3413-3423, 2010. First published September 22, 2010; doi:10.1152/jn.00030.2010. Golgi cells (GoCs) are the primary inhi ...
The interest in new materials and their application in the neuroscience are growing incredibly fast. Current research interests are increasingly focusing on new artificial materials and their direct effects on the central nervous systems so that it would b ...
A preferred frequency is identified, being usable to stimulate a neurological target within a mammalian body using at least one microelectrode positioned at or near the target. To establish efficient and effective stimulation, an impedance analyzer is prov ...