Although low in number (~10% of the population), interneurons are highly diverse and can be subdivided into several distinct types. The various types are active and produce inhibition at different times and locations in the network and can regulate when and where information can flow in neuronal circuits - in a similar manner as traffic lights coordinate traffic on streets.

Our working hypothesis is, thus, that inhibitory interneurons coordinate neuronal activity and their diversity subserves a complex division of labor among the different types in networks of the brain.

A major mechanism of neuronal coordination is the generation of oscillatory activity. Oscillations ('brain waves') can be observed in the EEG and are thought to structure network activity. They provide rhythmically alternating temporal windows when neuronal discharge is high and low and thereby serve as timing signals.

We focus on the hippocampus, as this brain area is essential for learning and memory as well as spatial navigation; it is often affected in brain disorders (e.g. epilepsy, Alzheimer disease) and, last but not least, with its relatively simple laminated structure, it lends itself for experimental investigation.

Our experimental approach involves in vitro electrophysiological techniques, morphological and immunocytochemical analysis, and computational modeling.