Patterns and Plasticity in Adult Neocortex

I will discuss my lab’s recent work on the patterns of neuronal activity in the cortex of behaving adult mice and how these patterns can recruit a range of synaptic plasticity mechanisms that underlie learning.

Our laboratory studies how the biophysical features of individual neurons endow neural circuits with powerful processing capabilities, ultimately facilitating the complex computations required to drive adaptive behavior.  A principal focus of our work is the role of dendrites, the elaborate tree-like structures where neurons receive the vast majority of afferent input.  The spatial arrangement of synaptic contacts on dendrites and the interaction of various biophysical mechanisms enable complex integration of synaptic inputs – our hypothesis is that circuit-level computations are built out of these fundamental operations.

11:50 am- Snacks & Socializing
noon- Talk Begins