Interneuron plasticity during spatial learning

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jozsef Csicsvari
• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2014 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 245861656

The hippocampus incorporates complex neuronal circuits, which play important roles in the encoding and recall of spatial memories. Hippocampal principal cells encode space by firing in a location-dependent manner, and together these place cells form a cognitive map of allocentric space. New maps formed as a result of spatial learning are accompanied by plastic changes of both pyramidal cell-pyramidal cell and pyramidal cell-interneuron connections. Here, combined in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetic approaches will be used to test the role of interneuron type specific plasticity on the formation and expression of hippocampal place maps. Moreover, we will examine the molecular mechanism behind this type of plasticity and test how these plastic changes might promote map stabilisation. We will also probe the behavioural conditions that are associated with the reorganisation of interneuron circuits in the hippocampus.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2143: Interneuron Synaptic Plasticity - From Mechanisms to Functions
• International Connection: Austria
• Partner Organisation: Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF)