Mechanisms of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity, learning & memory and memory extinction

Christoph Schuster Department of Neurobiology IZN University of Heidelberg INF 345 69120 Heidelberg Germany   Phone:  +49-6221-548300 Fax:  +49-6221-5416524 Email:  Schuster@nbio.uni-heidelberg.de Website:  -

Research Summary

The physiological, cellular and molecular characterization of synaptic plasticity and higher brain functions such as learning & memory is often hindered by the high complexity of mammalian brains. We therefore apply powerful genetic, physiological and behavioral tools established in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to study experiencedependent synaptic potentiation of larval glutamatergic synapses with high resolution as well as long-term memory (LTM) formation and LTM-extinction using an olfactory conditioning paradigm in adult flies. Our research aims at facilitating the identification of the principal mechanisms underlying higher brain functions.

Structure of the Group