Programme
Rapporteur
Prof. Marco Capogna - Medical Research Council, Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford - UK
Scientific seminar
"GABAergic neuron diversity in the hippocampus-amygdala circuit in health and disease"
Hours 12.30 13.30-
The first part of the talk will focus on the contribution of GABAergic neurons of the amygdala and hippocampus to brain network oscillations occurring during fear memory and arousal in rodents. Network brain activity is partially disrupted in many neurological and psychiatric diseases including anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Specific examples will be given showing the unique role mediated by different GABAergic neuron types. Next, the key role of GABAergic neurons of the amygdala in a mouse model (overexpressing the serotonin transporter) for human anxiety disorders will be presented. Finally, future research plans will be discussed.
Educational seminar
"Synaptic plasticity: from Hebb's model to contemporary theories"
Hours 17.30 19.00-
Synaptic transmission is the basic mode of communication of nerve cells. The seminar will illustrate molecular, cellular and physiological aspects of synapses of the central nervous system. Particular space will be devoted to short- and long-term synaptic plasticity. Examples of induction and maintenance of synaptic plasticity will be shown. Plasticity phenomena occur in excitatory glutamatergic neuronal connections, as predicted by the Hebb model, but also in inhibitory GABAergic neuronal connections, as demonstrated by more recent models and experimental data. Finally, it will be shown that synaptic plasticity may represent a fundamental cellular mechanism for functional recovery in neurodegenerative diseases or movement disorders. This aspect could lead to the use of selective electrical stimulation to induce synaptic plasticity in key neuronal connections, as a therapeutic treatment.
