The laboratory of Alain Destexhe is specialized in computational neuroscience and theoretical neuroscience. The research themes are the modeling of the integrative properties of neurons and networks of cerebral cortex during "active" states (such as wakefulness), the role of noise on information processing of single neurons or networks of neurons, macroscopic aspects such as local field potentials and the collective dynamics at large scales, as well as the rhythmic properties of thalamic and cortical networks during sleep and epilepsy. The laboratory also participates to dynamic-clamp experiments (in collaboration with Bal's lab at UNIC), where computational models directly interact with living neurons. The laboratory also participates to the conception of methods to analyze experimental data in vivo (intracellular, optical imaging), or to record in high-resolution (AEC metthod), in collaboration with several laboratories across Europe and North-America. This research is supported by grants from different institutions, such as the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche), the EC (European Commission), the MRC (Medical Research Council of Canada), the NIH (National Institutes of Health, USA), and the HFSP (Human Frontier Science Program).
Computational modeling and numerical simulations of neurons and neural networks, Theoretical calculus, Dynamic-clamp experiments, Conductance analysis from intracellular recordings, Morphological reconstruction with optical microscopy (Neurolucida)
For further information, see the laboratory's web site http://cns.iaf.cnrs-gif.fr, or click on the icons below:
Selected Publications
Jakob Wolfart, Damien Debay, Gwendal Le Masson, Alain Destexhe and Thierry Bal, Synaptic background activity controls spike transfer from thalamus to cortex, Nat Neurosci 8: 1760-7, (2005) [pdf] [abstract]
Thierry Bal, Damien Debay and Alain Destexhe, Cortical feedback controls the frequency and synchrony of oscillations in the visual thalamus, J Neurosci 20: 7478-88, (2000) [pdf] [abstract]
Alain Destexhe and Diego Contreras, Neuronal computations with stochastic network states, Science 314: 85-90, (2006) [pdf] [abstract]
Alain Destexhe, Stuart W. Hughes, Michelle Rudolph and Vincenzo Crunelli, Are corticothalamic 'up' states fragments of wakefulness, Trends Neurosci 30: 334-42, (2007) [pdf] [abstract]
Alain Destexhe and Eve Marder, Plasticity in single neuron and circuit computations, Nature 431: 789-95, (2004) [pdf] [abstract]
