Welcome to the IMPRS-TP

Welcome

Host: Alessio Attardo

Local protein synthesis in neurons

MPI Psy Tuesday Seminar
An individual neuron in the brain possesses approximately 10,000 synapses, many of which are hundreds of microns away from the cell body, which can process independent streams of information. During synaptic transmission and plasticity, remodeling of the local proteome occurs via the regulated synthesis and degradation of new proteins. I will discuss previous and current studies aimed at understanding how localized mRNAs and protein synthesis contributes to synaptic function and plasticity. [more]

In vivo neuronal dysfunctions in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease

MPI Psy Tuesday Seminar
tba [more]

Controlling your instincts: the neural circuitry of social and predator fear

Munich Psychiatry Lecture Series | MPLS
The expression of instinctive behaviors related to ingestion, reproduction, and defense depend on evolutionarily ancient behavioral circuits located in the hypothalamus.  It has been proposed that neural activity in these hypothalamic circuits encodes an internal motivational state that is essential for the expression of instinctive behavior and may be related to the emotion that accompanies instinctive urges in humans. [more]

Identified neuronal circuits for learning and decision making

Munich Psychiatry Lecture Series | MPLS
The distributed temporal activity in neuronal circuits of the prefrontal cortex combines emotional information with episodic and spatial memory to guide behavioural action. Single neurons of often unknown identity have been shown to exhibit specific firing patterns during spatial navigation and decision-making tasks. The cerebral cortex consists of highly diverse neuronal types with distinct synaptic connectivity, molecular expression profile and contribution to network activity. Neurons can be divided into excitatory pyramidal cells, which use glutamate as a neurotransmitter and give both local and long-range axonal projections, and inhibitory interneurons, which are GABAergic and control the activity and timing of pyramidal cells mainly through local axons. These neurons can be further subdivided on the basis of their distinct axo-dendritic arborisations, subcellular post-synaptic targets, and by their differential expression of signalling molecules, including receptors, ion channels, neuropeptides, transcription factors and Ca2+ binding proteins. We aim to determine how distinct types of neuron support the executive functions of the prefrontal cortex. [more]

Circuit mechanisms for reinforced learning

Munich Psychiatry Lecture Series | MPLS
An isolated experience can produce long-lasting memories, but learning often involves multiple interactions with related information. The outcome of these interactions could be integrated incrementally, independent of when individual interactions occur. Alternatively, integration might occur within dedicated periods of time, breaking down learning processes into discrete time units. I will provide evidence that related information acquired within time windows of 5h (time units for learning) is combined to determine whether and what mice learn. [more]

Intrinsic volatility of synaptic connections and functional stability

Seminar
Recent experiments directly support the long-held hypothesis that changes in the synaptic architecture underlie the encoding of information for long-term storage. However, they also demonstrate substantial volatility of the excitatory connectivity in the absence of any learning. [more]

What makes us human? Similarities and differences of the human and rodent neocortical microcircuit.

Munich Psychiatry Lecture Series | MPLS
tba [more]
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