Brain and Behaviour Seminar
2022-2023

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March 27th

4 PM

Dr. Lisa Topolnik

University of Laval

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"Organisation and Behavioral Function of Hippocampal Disinhibitory Circuits"

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Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expressing cells are key GABAergic inhibitory interneurons that enable disinhibition of pyramidal neurons. Across cortical circuits, VIP and calretinin co-expressing cells exhibit common developmental, molecular, anatomical, and physiological organisation, and target primarily the somatostatin-expressing interneurons. In this talk, I will discuss recent results that reveal the role of these key microcircuit regulatory modules, demonstrating a context- and experience-specific segregation of inhibition and disinhibition during spontaneous behavior. In addition, I will describe recent advances in our understanding of the inhibition/excitation dynamics during fear learning in hippocampal circuits and discuss how impairments in these microcircuit modules may lead to abnormal network activity in Alzheimer’s Disease. 

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Hybrid, In-person in Psychology Lounge (4th floor, Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St. George St)