One of the primary risk factors for mental disorders is adverse early life experiences. The effects of these experiences during childhood persist throughout adolescence and adulthood, heightening vulnerability. To uncover the mechanisms contributing to the increased risk we investigate changes at the neural circuit level in animal models. 

We analyse the dynamics of neural network activity while animals learn, make decisions and interact with each other to reveal context-dependent neural signatures of long-past experiences. Our goal is not only to understand the neural factors that contribute to increased vulnerability in the face of adverse early experiences but also to identify patterns in neural activity that facilitate resilience.

While the brain exhibits significant plasticity early in life, the ability to learn persists throughout live. Our lab aims at understanding how learning reshapes neural network activity and facilitates flexible behavior. We explore how sensory perceptions and abstract knowledge, are modularised to enable context-dependent adaptive choices at the right time and place.

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To address these questions, we employ large-scale electrophysiological recording techniques, such as Neuropixels probes, to monitor neural activity as animals learn and execute behavioral tasks. Leveraging methods to manipulate neural activity, we establish links between physiological experience driven changes, stress-related responses, and specific brain areas and cell types.