Max Planck Institute for Medical Research | Research | Max Planck Research Groups

Contact

Dr. Andreas T. Schaefer

Phone: +49 6221 486-408
Fax: +49 6221 486-459

E-mail: andreas.schaefer@mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de

Selected Publications

Mittmann, W.; Haydon-Wallace, D. J.; Czubayko, U.; Herb, J.; Schaefer, A. T.; Looger, Loren L. M.; Denk, W.; Kerr, J. N. D.

Two-photon calcium imaging of evoked activity from L5 somatosensory neurons in vivo

Nat. Neuroscience 2011 (ePub ahead of Print)

Rancz, E. A.; Franks, K. M.; Schwarz, M. K.; Pichler, B.; Schaefer, A. T.; Margrie, T. W.

Transfection via whole-cell recording in vivo: bridging single-cell physiology, genetics and connectomics

Nat. Neuroscience 14, 527–532 (2011)

Abraham, N. M.; Egger, V.; Shimshek, D. R.; Renden, R.; Fukunaga, I.; Sprengel, R.; Seeburg, P. H.; Klugmann, M.; Margrie, T. W.; Schaefer, A. T.; Kuner, T.

Synaptic Inhibition in the Olfactory Bulb Accelerates Odor Discrimination in Mice

Neuron 65 (3), 399 - 411 (2010)

Arenz, A.; Silver, R. A.; Schaefer, A. T.; Margrie, T. W.

The Contribution of Single Synapses to Sensory Representation in Vivo

Science 321 (5891), 977-980 (2008)

Schaefer, A. T.; Margrie, T. W.

Spatio-temporal representations in the olfactory system

Schaefer, A. T.; Helmstaedter, M.; Schmitt, A.; Bar-Yehuda, D.; Almog, M.; Ben-Porat, H.; Sakmann, B.; Korngreen, A.

Dendritic voltage-gated K+ conductance gradient in pyramidal neurones of neocortical layer 5B

J. Physiol. 579 (3), 737-752 (2007)

Schaefer, A. T.; Angelo, K.; Spors, H.; Margrie, T. W.

Neuronal oscillations enhance stimulus discrimination by ensuring action potential precision

PLoS Biol. 4 (6), 1010-1024 (2006)

Shimshek, D. R.; Bus, T.; Kim, J.; Mihaljevic, A.; Mack, V.; Seeburg, P. H.; Sprengel, R.; Schaefer, A. T.

Enhanced Odor Discrimination and Impaired Olfactory Memory by Spatially Controlled Switch of AMPA Receptors

PLoS Biol 3 (11), e354 (2005)

Abraham, N. M.; Spors, H.; Carleton, A.; Margrie, T. W.; Kuner, T.; Schaefer, A. T.

Maintaining Accuracy at the Expense of Speed: Stimulus Similarity Defines Odor Discrimination Time in Mice

Neuron 44 (5), 865-876 (2004)

Schaefer, A. T.; Helmstaedter, M.; Sakmann, B.; Korngreen, A.

Correction of conductance measurements in non-space-clamped structures: 1. Voltage-gated K+ channels

Biophys. J. 84 (6), 3508-3528 (2003)

Schaefer, A. T.; Larkum, M. E.; Sakmann, B.; Roth, A.

Coincidence detection in pyramidal neurons is tuned by their dendritic branching pattern

J. Neurophysiol. 89, 3143-3154 (2003)

Margrie, T. W.; Schaefer, A. T.

Theta oscillation coupled spike latencies yield computational vigour in a mammalian sensory system

J. Physiol. 546 (2), 363-374 (2003)

Margrie, T. W.; Meyer, A. H.; Caputi, A.; Monyer, H.; Hasan, M. T.; Schaefer, A. T.; Denk, W.; Brecht, M.

Targeted whole-cell recordings in the mammalian brain in vivo

Neuron 39 (6), 911-918 (2003)

Andreas T. Schaefer Group - Behavioural Neurophysiology

The Max Planck Research Group Behavioural Neurophysiology aims to understand how complex behaviour emerges from the properties of molecules, cells and ensembles of cells.

Zoom Image

(A) Scheme of the olfactory system: olfactory receptor neurons in the nose project to mitral cells in the olfactory bulb that in turn project to a variety of brain areas. (B) Odor discrimination in mice is fast but depends on stimulus similarity (adapted from Abraham et al 2004). (C) Ablating the AMPA receptor subunit GluR-B in the forebrain improves odor learning/discrimination (C1, from Shimshek et al 2005) and increases inhibition in the olfactory bulb (C2, whole-cell recording in vivo, from Abraham et al).

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The model employed is the olfactory system of mice. To understand how smells are processed we modify specific selected brain areas - in particular the olfactory bulb - using transgenic mice, pharmacological tools or targeted virus injections. We then probe how these specific modifications alter the neural networks and the resulting cellular function and physiology in vivo and in vitro. Ultimately, we perform quantitative behavioural tasks in such modified mice. Combining these genetic, anatomical, physiological and behavioural techniques with computational modelling approaches we aim to elucidate the cellular basis of olfactory behaviour and ultimately more general complex behaviours.