Erasmus MC · Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Optical and electrophysiological approaches to how neural circuits communicate in health, in disease, and under deep brain stimulation.
Led by Eric Lowet, Department of Neuroscience.
Research
We study how neurons and circuits communicate, using voltage imaging, electrophysiology and computational analysis.
We use genetically encoded voltage indicators together with advanced optical microscopy to record the electrical activity of many identified neurons at millisecond resolution, capturing both spikes and subthreshold dynamics in the intact brain.
Deep brain stimulation is a powerful therapy whose mechanism is still poorly understood. We ask how electrical stimulation, from conventional to kilohertz frequencies, reshapes the activity of single cells and whole populations, with the goal of making stimulation more precise and effective.
Rhythmic activity coordinates how neurons exchange information. We study how oscillations in the gamma and theta ranges structure communication and coding across circuits, and how these dynamics support flexible behaviour.
Many brain disorders are, at their core, disorders of communication between cells and regions. By comparing healthy and unhealthy circuits with the same optical and electrophysiological tools, we aim to pinpoint where and how that communication breaks down.