Analysis and modulation of hippocampal functional connectivity between engram cells underlying spatial memory (B07)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2015 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 178316478

We use optogenetic and electrophysiological approaches to investigate how specific neuronal populations encode spatial memories. By activity-dependent expression of optogenetic silencers, we are able to shut off mossy cells that were highly active during encoding of a specific spatial location and test the effects on water maze performance. As we could show, learning of a new location typically re-activates dentate gyrus neurons encoding for the old location. We will investigate the importance of this reactivation for successful reversal learning and monitor learning-induced connectivity changes between the left and right hemisphere.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 936: Multi-Site Communication in the Brain
• Applicant Institution: Universität Hamburg
• Project Heads: Dr. Fabio Morellini, since 2/2019; Professor Dr. Thomas Oertner, since 2/2019