Rules for Neural Circuit Wiring

Equipped with a wide-ranging experimental toolkit, including unique multiphoton applications, combined with refined molecular genetic control of mammalian neuromodulatory circuits, we are tackling the following topics related to neuromodulation and synapse production: (I) What are the fine-scale spatio-temporal requirements underlying neuromodulatory state-dependent synaptogenesis? Can we leverage these principles for therapeutic purposes in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases? (II) Do synaptic plasticity mechanisms underlie the efficacy of fast-acting antidepressants? Can we co-opt these mechanisms to develop synaptogenesis-based ex vivo assays for screening emergent candidate drugs? (III) How does neuromodulation alter coordinated ensemble activity firing and information coding in neuronal populations, especially those that themselves release critically important neuromodulators?