KOKI

The Laboratory of Network Neurophysiology has been established in our Institute on the 1^st of April, 2009. The main research interest of our group is to understand the complex behavior of neuronal networks. Characteristic network activity patterns emerge from the precisely timed discharge of distinct neuronal types. These events are substantially shaped by the short- and long-termed changes in synaptic transmission. Our specific goal is to reveal how the synaptic properties and their plasticity contribute to synchronous neuronal activities in cortical networks and their role in information processing.

Our experimental approaches include light- and electron microscopic immunocytochemical methods and in vitro electrophysiological recording techniques combined with optical imaging. Three main projects are currently running in our lab:

1. A new research direction of our group is to uncover the inhibitory neuronal circuitries and their synaptic properties in amygdalar nuclei. The amygdala plays a significant role in emotional reactions and memory formation. This brain region is tightly controlled by subcortical afferents (carrying information about emotions, motivation and the autonomic stages) that likely impact the activity of principal neurons via local inhibitory cells. To understand the neuronal operation in the amygdala network might bring us closer to reveal how e.g. the dopamine or acetylcholine regulates the formation of emotional memories, a knowledge that could help elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, or panic attack.

2. Our main goal is to reveal the cellular mechanisms underlying synchronous neuronal activities in cortical networks. In collaboration with Dr. Ole Paulsen's laboratory (University of Oxford, UK), we found that in an archicortical brain region, i.e. in the hippocampus the pharmacologically induced gamma (30-40 Hz) oscillations are generated by the precisely timed discharge of pyramidal neurons and perisomatic inhibitory cells. We currently focus on the mechanisms how the locally generated gamma oscillations propagate to other cortical regions. In addition, we also aim to uncover the basic mechanisms of so-called sharp wave activities in the hippocampus, a network phenomenon believed to be implicated in memory processing.

3. We aim to understand the role of nitric oxide (NO) and endocannabinoid (eCB) mediated signaling cascade in the short- and long-term plasticity of synaptic inhibition. This project is based on our recent publication where we showed that a molecular cascade of gaseous molecules (NO) and lipid derivatives (eCB) could control a form of short-term changes at cannabinoid-sensitive inhibitory synapses.

The research in our group is supported by The Wellcome Trust and the Hungarian Scientific Research Found.