Research Group - Jonas-Frederic Sauer
We focus on the organization of brain circuit activity by neural oscillations with particular emphasis on respiration-driven oscillation patterns.
Research:
Rhythmic breathing not only enables oxygen supply and CO2 clearance from the body but also drives rhythmic deflections in the local field potential in various brain regions. Initially discovered in the olfactory bulb, recent findings indicate that respiration-driven oscillations are by no means restricted to the olfactory system but resemble a widespread phenomenon that can be observed in various cortical and subcortical structures. In addition to rhythmic field potential signals, the action potentials of cortical and subcortical neurons are also synchronized with respiration, suggesting that the breathing rhythm might provide a timing signal aiding information processing in brain microcircuits. We use local field potential and single-unit recordings in freely moving mice to investigate the functional aspects of respiration-driven neural activities during cognitive behaviour.
Fig. 1: Prefrontal LFPs are synchronized with respiration. Left: Example recording. Right: Power spectra. Reprinted under CC BY 4.0 from Biskamp et al., 2017.
Secondly, we utilize electrophysiological recordings and Ca2+-imaging to investigate how gene mutations influence predisposition to psychiatric conditions using mouse models of psychiatric 'risk gene' mutations.
Funding:
Publications:
Original papers
Review articles
Book chapter
- Bartos M, Sauer J, Kulik A, Vida I (2010) Fast and strong inhibition in the hippocampal circuitry. "Hippocampal Microcircuits: A Computational Modeller's Resource Book", Springer (USA). 1st Edition January 2010.