Neural Circuits and Behavior

How are memories formed? How is episodic information stored within cortico-hippocampal circuits? What are the underlying neural mechanisms? How are “memory representations” plastically modified for supporting flexible behavior?
These are some of the research questions we address in our lab. We mainly focus on the rodent spatial memory system as a model for understanding how memory representations are formed, stored and used by the brain for guiding behavior. To address these questions, we use a combination of techniques, including single-cell electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging, behavioral analysis and optogenetic tools for neural circuit dissection. Current projects focus on the cellular mechanisms of episodic memory formation, with particular emphasis on hippocampal representations, on the internal compass, and on the role of brain states (including sleep) and biological sex on information processing and consolidation.