Medial septal circuit at the intersection of movement, learning and memory
01/29/2020
Balázs Hangya1
1 Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
The medial septum controls hippocampal theta oscillations related to locomotion and learning through GABAergic neurons, running initiation and animal speed through glutamatergic neurons and learning and working memory via cholinergic neurons. We are investigating how medial septal cell types integrate these functions while mice perform sensory discrimination, navigation and working memory tasks. To address this, we perform chronic extracellular recordings from mice. Medial septal cell types are identified either optogenetically, or based on their rhythmic properties and correlation with theta oscillations. We aim to identify the building blocks of septal circuits underlying theta generation, locomotion, associative learning and working memory.