Wilber Lab
Our lab explores the neurobiological mechanisms that allow us to derive a sense of location from a body-centered view of the world and how these same systems participate in learning and memory. A critical role of this brain network is to update our internal map of the environment, which is needed to get reoriented after being lost in a physical location. This work is also informing research on how these neural networks are altered by mental and memory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, we study the relationship between sleep and the removal of protein aggregates related to Alzheimer’s disease, particularly the mechanism producing this effect, such as the glymphatic system, which may “wash” away debris, including these protein aggregates, while we sleep.
Our research is directed at understanding how we get oriented in space so we can navigate our environment and understand what goes wrong when this system fails. We use a variety of approaches to accomplish our goals, including silicon probe recordings as well as in house 3D printed recording arrays to monitor many single cells in multiple brain regions, while simultaneously recording population related neural activity (derived from local field potential recordings). We also use viral/genetic manipulations to perform circuit specific manipulations for furthering our understanding of the function of neural networks, whole brain semi-automated density based measures of disease markers, brain function and connectivity, and rodent models of disease (e.g., Alzheimer’s). These approaches are applied in rodents that are navigating in virtual environments or freely moving in real environments.