Mental health and brain disorders are increasingly prevalent, significantly impacting lives around the world. While progress has been made in understanding some of these disorders, mechanistic insights still need to be discovered, making effective treatment challenging. Emerging research points to issues in the way specific brain networks, especially those involving the thalamus and cortex, interact as potential contributors to disorders like schizophrenia. The thalamus, located beneath the cortex, acts as a crucial relay center for signals between cortical areas, yet it has often been overlooked in brain disorder research. Gaining a deeper understanding of these networks, particularly the thalamus, is essential for developing more effective treatments. Furthermore, understanding how these networks behave differently in early life is vital.

SCCN’s mission is to comprehensively understand thalamocortical networks and their role in brain development and function. This insight could pave the way for improved treatments for a variety of conditions, from vision impairments due to stroke to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. To achieve this, we are conducting two primary research projects that explore how these networks develop and change over time. We utilize cutting-edge techniques and collaborate with experts across various disciplines to push the boundaries of our knowledge.

[1] Development: We are exploring how issues in a specific part of the thalamus, known as the medial pulvinar nucleus, may be linked to schizophrenia. By studying how this brain region develops and connects with other areas, we aim to uncover clues about the origins of schizophrenia and related disorders.

[2] Plasticity: We are investigating the role of another thalamic region, the inferior pulvinar, in the brain's ability to adapt to changes, particularly following injuries. Understanding how this area influences visual processing could lead to innovative treatments for vision problems resulting from brain injuries.

Our research employs diverse techniques, including advanced imaging methods, genetic analysis, and behavioral experiments in animal models. Using a 'cell-to-system' approach, we integrate these methods to create a holistic understanding of brain disease development, which is crucial for finding the best strategies for treatment and prevention. By closely examining how the brain changes over time and in response to injury, we aim to reveal new insights into these disorders.

Our research is expected to provide a deeper understanding of how thalamocortical networks influence brain function and dysfunction, offering a developmental context to the network disruptions seen in many brain diseases. By uncovering the underlying mechanisms, we hope to contribute to more effective opportunities to investigate treatments for neurological and psychiatric conditions.