Plasticity of inhibitory circuits during development and pathology.
Research in Dr. Kandler's laboratory focuses on the question of how neuronal circuits are established and modified during brain development and how they change under pathological conditions, for example peripheral hearing loss.
Ongoing work in a primary sound localization circuit explores the mechanisms by which neuronal activity regulates the organization and maturation of inhibitory connections and their integration with excitatory networks. Another line of research is investigating how abnormal sensory experience affects synaptic circuits in the auditory midbrain. To this end we apply a variety of physiological (whole-cell patch clamp recordings, 2-P calcium imaging, mapping circuits with photostimulation), anatomical (immunohistochemistry, tracing of neuronal connections), and behavioral (acoustic startle behavior) techniques to normal and genetically altered mice.
Students in Dr. Kandler's laboratory have the opportunity to engage in a variety of research projects addressing the questions listed above.
Our laboratory is part of the Auditory Neuroscience Group in the Dept. of Neurobiology providing trainees ample opportunities for crossdisciplinary interactions and collaborations in the field of auditory neuroscience and plasticity.
Representative Publications
The Oxford Handbook of the Auditory Brainstem.
Kandler K (ed)
Oxford University Press (2019)
Noise Trauma-Induced Behavioral Gap Detection Deficits Correlate with Reorganization of Excitatory and Inhibitory Local Circuits in the Inferior Colliculus and Are Prevented by Acoustic Enrichment.
Sturm JJ, Zhang-Hooks YX, Roos H, Nguyen T, Kandler K
Journal of Neuroscience (2017)
Excitation by Axon Terminal GABA Spillover in a Sound Localization Circuit.
Weisz CJ, Rubio ME, Givens RS, Kandler K
Journal of Neuroscience (2016)
Development of intrinsic connectivity in the central nucleus of the mouse inferior colliculus.
Sturm J, Nguyen T, Kandler K
Journal of Neuroscience (2014)
The precise temporal pattern of prehearing spontaneous activity is necessary for tonotopic map refinement.
Clause A, Kim G, Sonntag M, Weisz CJ, Vetter DE, Rűbsamen R, Kandler K
Neuron (2014)
Glutamate co-release at GABA/glycinergic synapses is crucial for the refinement of an inhibitory map.
Noh J, Seal RP, Garver JA, Edwards RH, Kandler K
Nature Neuroscience (2010)
Tonotopic reorganization of developing auditory brainstem circuits.
Kandler K, Clause A, Noh J
Nature Neuroscience (2009)
Intracellular zinc inhibits KCC2 transporter activity.
Hershfinkel M, Kandler K, Knoch ME, Dagan-Rabin M, Aras MA, Abramovitch-Dahan C, Sekler I, Aizenman E
Nature Neuroscience (2009)
Inhibitory synapses in the developing auditory system are glutamatergic.
Gillespie DC, Kim G, Kandler K
Nature Neuroscience (2005)
Elimination and strengthening of inhibitory synapse during establishment of a tonotopic map.
Kim G, Kandler K
Nature Neuroscience (2003)