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Research Overview
Research Overview
Our main research interest focuses on a better insight into how neuronal networks support cognitive control in both health and disease. How do we make decisions and how do the outcome and interpretation thereof affect our future goals, contextual interpretations, and decisions? Our aim is to improve the neurobiological understanding of those processes and develop better model systems for stringent and efficient testing of potential rescue options of psychiatric disorders.
With colleagues and collaborators, we pursue an integrated approach by applying novel and state-of-the-art techniques to solve the scientific questions underlying psychiatric maladaptation of our brains. Our techniques involve Head-fixed and freely moving in-vivo Electrophysiology & Behaviour, Optogenetics, Genetic Model Lines, RNA-analysis, Immunohistochemistry, Behavioural testing combined with advanced statistical modelling, machine learning and Deep-learning assisted analysis.
A glimpse into some of our current ongoing research projects
A glimpse into some of our current ongoing research projects
Prefrontal - Striatal Communication
Prefrontal - Striatal Communication
In this FWF funded project we explore how the Prefrontal Cortex communicates with the Striatum on a function level for value guided decision-making. While we have a good understanding of the anatomical connections between both heavily interconnected structures, we lack critical information on what information the prefrontal cortex forwards to drive striatal processing for optimal decision-making.
New Tools and Tasks for Translational Psychiatry
New Tools and Tasks for Translational Psychiatry
A critical barrier for new innovative therapies against mental illnesses is grounded in our lack of translational success from preclinical to clinical research. We believe preclinical research has tremendous potential to improve its accuracy of linking cause and effects on a systemic and behavioral level. For this reason we develop a number of new translational tasks that utilize state-of-the art concepts, models and ML principles to provide new impulses for translational psychiatry research.
Neurokraken
Neurokraken
Soon to be released, the Neurokraken provides an open, flexible, cost-effective python based platform to investigate behaviour across species. Interested? Reach out
GABA circuits in health and disease
GABA circuits in health and disease
As part of the recently funded Austrian Cluster of Excellence, we explore with partners GABAergic circuits in higher cognition
Digital Neuroscience Education
Digital Neuroscience Education
EBRAINS2.0 will further the development and provision of the digital neuroscience infrastructure’s research technologies to the scientific community. It aims to establish a new standard for brain atlases, gather and connect multimodal neuroscientific and clinical data, and push forward the development of digital twin approaches.
The project involves 59 partner institutions from 16 European countries. It is coordinated by the EBRAINS AISBL, a non-profit organisation founded in Brussels during the Human Brain Project, and started in January 2024.
We coordinate the project’s education and training activities aiming to collaboratively enhance education efforts across the EBRAINS network, leveraging the advanced resources and expertise available. We also manage the project’s open calls, through which new data and workflows from the scientific community will be integrated into EBRAINS
I. Vecchio, L. Mifsud, S. Castro Almeida, J. Passecker, Diagnostic Digital Phenotyping in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review; 2025 (under review)
A. Koszeghy, J. Passecker, Prefrontal Modulation of Striatal Engagement: A hierarchical framework for goal-directed behavior; 2025 (under review)
J. Passecker, CY. Chang, A. Dagunts, C. M. Aloimonos, L. Leitner, A. Petryk, F. F. Wagner, M. Myroshnychenko, D. A. Kupferschmidt, J. Gogos, J. Gordon, Sex-biased rescue of working memory deficits by developmental GSK3β inhibition in a mouse model of schizophrenia predisposition; 2025 (under review)
J. Passecker, C.M. Aloimonos, A. Dagunts, DA. Kupferschmidt, J. Gogos, J.A. Gordon; Developmental selective GSK3α inhibition rescues working memory deficits in a mouse model of schizophrenia predisposition; 2025 (under review)
A. Geminiani, J. Kathrein, A. Yegenoglu, F. Vogel, M. Armendariz, Z. Ben-Zion, P. A. Bogdan, J. Covelo, M. Diaz Pier, K. Grasenick, V. Karasenko, W. Klijn, T. Kokan, C. A. Lupascu, A. Lührs, T. Mahfoud, T.Özden, J.E. Pedersen, L. Peres, I. Reiten, N. Simidjievski, I. Ulnicane, M. van der Vlag, L. Zehl, A. Saria, S. Diaz-Pier, J. Passecker; Interdisciplinary and collaborative training in neuroscience: Insights from the human brain project education programme, 2024 Neuroinformatics 22 (4), 657-678; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12021-024-09682-6
Tzanoulinou S., Passecker J., Stamatakis A., Diamantopoulou A., Translational behavioral approaches in animal models of psychiatry. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2023, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1200691
Anner P., Passecker J., Klausberger T., Dorffner G., Ca2+ imaging of neurons in freely moving rats with automatic post hoc histological identification, J. Neuroscience Methods, 06/2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108765
Padilla-Coreano N., Canetta S., Mikofsky RM., Always E., Passecker J., Myroshnychenko M.V., Garcia-Garcia A.L., Warren R., Teboul E., Blackman D.R., Morton M. P., Hupalo S., Tye K. M., Kellendonk C., Kupferschmidt D. A., Gordon J. A., Hippocampal-prefrontal theta transmission regulates avoidance behavior, Neuron, 09/2019, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.006
Schwartenbeck P., Passecker J., Hauser T., FitzGerald T., Kronbichler M., Friston KJ. (2018) Computational mechanisms of curiosity and goal-directed exploration Elife. 2019 May 10;8. pii: e41703. doi: 10.7554/eLife.41703.
Passecker J., Mikus N., Malagon-Vina H., Anner P., Dimidschtein J., Fishell G., Dorffner G., Klausberger T., Activity of prefrontal neurons predict future choices during gambling. Neuron. 2019 Jan 2;101(1):152-164.e7, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.050
Passecker J., Islam Md N., Hok V., O'Mara. SM, 2018 Influences of photic stress on postsubicular head-directional processing. Eur J Neurosci. 2018 Apr;47(8):1003-1012, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.13887
H. Malagon-Vina, S. Ciocchi, J. Passecker, G. Dorffner, T. Klausberger, Fluid network dynamics in the prefrontal cortex during multiple strategy switching. Nature Communications, 2018, 22. Jan, 9:309, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02764-x
Ciocchi S., Passecker J., Malagon-Vina H., Mikus N., Klausberger T., Selective information routing by ventral hippocampal CA1 projection neurons. Science, 2015 May, 1;348:560-3, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa3245
Jankowski M., Passecker J., Islam Md., Vann S., Erichsen J., Aggleton J., and O'Mara S., Evidence for spatially-responsive neurons in the rostral thalamus Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience 2015 Oct 13;9:256; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00256
Passecker J., Barlow S, O'Mara SM., 2014 Dissociating effects of acute photic stress on spatial, episodic-like and working memory in the rat. Behavioural Brain Research 2014 Oct 1;272:218-25; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2014.07.007
Passecker J., Hok V, Della-Chiesa A, Chah E, O'Mara SM., 2011, Dissociation of dorsal hippocampal regional activation under the influence of acute stress in freely-behaving rats, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 5:66; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00066
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