Intrinsic imaging of visual responses in primary visual cortex
Coronal section of visual cortex from a CamK2a-Cre mouse transgenic for the Cre-reporter Ai6:ZsGreen
Coronal section of visual cortex from a Parvalbumin-Cre mouse transgenic for the Cre-reporter Ai14:TdTomato also stained with WFA-fluorescein
A top down view in layer 1 of barrel cortex of the dendritic arbor of a layer 5 pyramidal neuron
Repeated imaging of dendritc spines in layer I of barrel cortex over twelve days
Our lab investigates how experience drives changes in brain function. We study this problem in the sensory system of rodents. The principal focus of the lab is how specific genes govern the plasticity of brain circuitry during development. Some of the genes we study improve plasticity, for example a gene called nogo-66 receptor 1, while others, such as those implicated in syndromic forms of autism, including the gene that causes Fragile X Syndrome, impair plasticity during development. We explore how these genes influence the mechanisms of plasticity that alter brain circuitry. Our goal is to devise ways to manipulate plasticity for therapeutic gain.