Andreas Frick

Biography

Many of the cognitive functions in mammals, ranging from memory formation to perception, are performed in the neocortex. One of the fundamental problems in neuroscience is the dynamic regulation of synaptic function, neuronal structure and connectivity within neural circuits as well as their relationship with cognitive abilities in normal and diseased brain. To address this fundamental question, my research focuses on understanding the spread of activity in cortical circuits under physiological conditions, and in an animal model of the human disease Fragile X Syndrome. Our group uses an interdisciplinary strategy that incorporates a variety of experimental approaches including opto-genetic, electrophysiological, imaging,morphological, and behavioral methods in the whisker-related barrel cortex. My approach entails a detailed examination of the physiology and morphology of the neurons involved, the properties of their synaptic interconnectivity and their wiring diagram. In addition, I will use neocortex-specific behavioral tasks, which link defects in learning and memory to specific cortical circuits.

Research Interest

Neuroscience