Lines of investigation
Brain function results from a timely regulated sequence of developmental milestones. The timeline of these developmental milestones constitutes a developmental trajectory, directed by the interaction between genetic mechanisms and electrical activity. Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum and schizophrenia syndrome emerge from an alteration in the developmental trajectories leading to brain dysfunction.
Our laboratory evaluates how genetic predisposition to neurodevelopmental disorders influences the organization and timeline of developmental milestones of the brain. To reach this goal we employ animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders together with molecular, neuroanatomical, electrophysiological and behavioural techniques. Our objective is to provide with knowledge for the rational design of new therapeutic strategies that reorient the immature brain into a normal developmental trajectory.
Representative Publications
- Developmental Disruption of Erbb4 in Pet1+ Neurons Impairs Serotonergic Sub-System Connectivity and Memory Formation. Barettino C, Ballesteros-Gonzalez Á, Aylón A, Soler-Sanchis X, Ortí L, Díaz S, Reillo I, García-García F, Iborra FJ, Lai C, Dehorter N, Leinekugel X, Flames N, Del Pino I. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021 9:770458 . PMID: 34957103; PMCID: PMC8703035. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.770458
- Subcellular sorting of neuregulins controls the assembly of excitatory-inhibitory cortical circuits Exposito-Alonso D, Osório C, Bernard C, Pascual-García S, Del Pino I, Marín O, Rico B. Elife 2020 9:e57000. PMID: 33320083; PMCID: PMC7755390. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.57000
- Shifting Developmental Trajectories During Critical Periods of Brain Formation Dehorter N, Del Pino I. Front Cell Neurosci 2020 14:283. PMID: 33132842; PMCID: PMC7513795. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2020.00283
- COUP-TFI/Nr2f1 Orchestrates Intrinsic Neuronal Activity during Development of the Somatosensory Cortex Del Pino I, Tocco C, Magrinelli E, Marcantoni A, Ferraguto C, Tomagra G, Bertacchi M, Alfano C, Leinekugel X, Frick A, Studer M. Cereb Cortex 2020 30(11):5667-5685. PMID: 32572460 https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhaa137
- Neural circuit dysfunction in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders Del Pino I, Rico B, Marín O. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2018 48:174-182 PMID: 29329089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2017.12.013
- Abnormal wiring of CCK+ basket cells disrupts spatial information coding Del Pino I, Brotons-Mas JR, Marques-Smith A, Marighetto A, Frick A, Marín O, Rico B Nat Neurosci. 2017 20(6):784-792 PMID: 28394324; PMCID: PMC5446788 https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4544