Dr. Balint Lasztoczi

Biography

Dr. Balint Lasztoczi Medical University of Vienna – The European Neuroscience Institute - Medical University of Vienna

Research Interest

Gamma oscillations in the intact brain emerge as a complex combination of several rhythms, contrasting the simplicity and unimodality of in vitro models. These rhythms -particularly in the hippocampus- are organized in time and space by the slower theta oscillations and anatomical distribution of excitatory and inhibitory synapses. We investigate which roles distinct GABAergic cell types (e.g. PV+ basket cells, CCK+ GABAergic interneurons, O-LM cells, GABAergic distal projecting cells) may play in coordinating gamma oscillations in hippocampal CA1 area in vivo, using a combination of juxtacellular recording, labelling and post-hoc identification of individual CA1 interneurons with recordings and current source density analysis n from linear electrode arrays (single shank 16-site silicon probes) penetrating the dorsal CA1. We complement these recordings by recording multi-unit activity with tetrodes and silicon probes from different input and output structures of the hippocampal CA1 area (medial and lateral entorhinal cortex, CA3 area, medial septum, subiculum, etc.). By analysing how the spike-timing of local GABAergic cells and of projectiction cells is related to local CA1 gamma oscillations we will get insight into the mechanism of spatiotemporal organization of gamma oscillations in the hippocampus and related structures. The coordination of gamma oscillations is heavily influenced by animal behaviour, we will implement our reserach using the drug-free head-fixed mouse preparation running and performing various behavioral tasks in a virtual environment.