Thalamic reticular nucleus dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders
Description
Please note that the talk by Nancy Kanwisher originally scheduled for this time is rescheduled to Thursday, May 28, 4 p.m. ET.
The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), the major source of thalamic inhibition, is known to regulate thalamocortical interactions critical for sensory processing, attention and cognition. TRN dysfunction has been linked to sensory abnormality, attention deficit and sleep disturbance across multiple neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently, little is known about the organizational principles underlying its divergent functions. In this talk, I will start with an example of how dysfunction of TRN contributes to attention deficit and sleep disruption using a mouse model of Ptchd1 mutation, which in humans cause neurodevelopmental disorder with ASD. Building on these findings, we further performed an integrative single-cell analysis linking molecular and electrophysiological features of the TRN to connectivity and systems-level function. We identified two subnetworks of the TRN with segregated anatomical structure, distinct electrophysiological properties, differential connections to the functionally distinct first-order and higher-order thalamic nuclei, and differential role in regulating sleep. These studies provide a comprehensive atlas for TRN neurons at the single-cell resolution and a foundation for studying diverse functions and dysfunctions of the TRN. Finally, I will describe the newly developed minimally invasive optogenetic tool for probing circuit function and dysfunction.
This is a Zoom webinar. Click here to join or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://mit.zoom.us/j/92153793477
Speaker Bio
Guoping Feng, PhD is the Poitras Professor of Neuroscience at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain Cognitive Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also serves as the Director of Model Systems and Neurobiology at the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Dr. Feng’s research is devoted to understand how neurons communicate with one another and how defects in neuronal communications contribute to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Using genetically engineered animal models, Dr. Feng’s laboratory combines cutting-edge technology and multidisciplinary approaches, including molecular genetics, electrophysiology, imaging and behavioral analysis, to unravel the pathological mechanisms of brain disorders. Dr. Feng’s research on OCD and autism has significantly advanced our understanding of these debilitating brain disorders and provided potential new directions for developing effective treatment.