
Dr. Torfi Sigurdsson
Institute of Neurophysiology
Neuroscience Center
Theodor-Stern-Kai 7
60590 Frankfurt
Tel +69-6301-84098
Fax +69-6301-6987
E-Mail: sigurdsson@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Scientific Focus
Our group is interested in the neural mechanisms supporting cognition and goal-directed behavior in both health and disease. Specifically, we want to understand how neural activity is coordinated within networks of brain regions in order to guide intelligent behavior, and how such inter-areal coordination breaks down in neuropsychiatric illness. In this respect, we are particularly focused on the role of inter-areal networks consisting of the prefrontal cortex and its associated cortical and subcortical structures. To investigate such networks, we perform large-scale multi-site electrophysiological recordings, calcium imaging and optogenetic manipulations in mice performing behavioral tasks involving memory and decision-making. We also use these techniques to study mice that model risk factors for psychiatric illness in an effort to understand how such risk factors perturb brain function.
If you are interested in joining the lab, please send an email to sigurdsson@em.uni-frankfurt.de to enquire about open positions
Methods
- Electrophysiological recordings
- Microendoscopic calcium imaging
- Optogenetic manipulations
- Behavioral assessment of cognitive function
- Animal models of psychiatric illness
- Analysis of high-dimensional neuronal data
Selected Publications
- Babl SS, Rummell BP, Sigurdsson T (2019) The Spatial Extent of Optogenetic Silencing in Transgenic Mice Expressing Channelrhodopsin in Inhibitory Interneurons. Cell Reports 29:1381–1395.e4.
- Salinas-Hernández XI, Vogel P, Betz S, Kalisch R, Sigurdsson T, Duvarci S (2018) Dopamine neurons drive fear extinction learning by signaling the omission of expected aversive outcomes. Elife 7 Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.38818.
- Duvarci S, Simpson EH, Schneider G, Kandel ER, Roeper J* and Sigurdsson T* (2018) Impaired recruitment of dopamine neurons during working memory in a mouse model of striatal D2 receptor overexpression. Nature Communications 9: 2822. (*co-last author)
- Rummell BP, Klee JL, Sigurdsson T (2016) Attenuation of Responses to Self-Generated Sounds in Auditory Cortical Neurons. J Neurosci 36:12010–12026.
- Sigurdsson T, Stark KL, Karayiorgou M, Gogos JA, Gordon JA (2010) Impaired hippocampal-prefrontal synchrony in a genetic mouse model of schizophrenia. Nature 464:763–767.