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Understanding and Controlling Circuit Function through Plasticity

The moment-to-moment population activity of neurons underlies the milieu of cognitive states that govern our day-to-day lives. However, at a slower time scale, this activity also drives plastic changes to the physical connectivity within our brains. 

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This means that the activity states within the brain provide both a feedforward drive of our cognitive functions, and feedback modulation of the circuits that generate the same activity.​​​

This complexity serves as the starting point for our work in the Bharioke Lab.

We wish to understand:

 

  1. ​The principles underlying neuronal circuit plasticity

  2. The relationships between population activity and cognitive function​

 

with the ultimate goal of understanding how to change circuit activity

and, thereby, to plastically vary cognitive function.  

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To answer these questions, we utilize two-photon microscopy to perform all-optical interrogations of cortical circuits, manipulating a subset of neurons within the circuit, while recording from others. We utilize both regular two-photon microscopes and cutting-edge acousto-optic two-photon microscopes to image neurons throughout the depth of cortex. â€‹

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Femtosecond laser path for a two-photon microscope

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Acousto-optic imaging from neurons throughout cortex

We perform these interrogations from embryonic development onwards, utilizing both novel methods like in vivo para-uterine imaging, as well as more traditional head-fixed imaging. We combine these optical approaches with computational simulations to build models of cortical function, enabling us to predictably manipulate the function of cortical circuits.

Imaging from embryonic cortical neurons

Interested in the questions we are working on? The Bharioke Lab is now taking on researchers at all levels.
Click here for more information

Dept. of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina

© 2024 by Arjun Bharioke

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