What is the neural basis of motor control?
Our research seeks to understand how neural circuits in the basal ganglia are organized and function to shape movement in health and disease. We use optogenetics, electrophysiology, histology, and behavior to study the function of neural circuits in brain slices and in vivo.
WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR:
To apply, please contact Aryn Gittis at agittis@cmu.edu.
CONGRATS to Dr. Shruti Nanivadekar on passing her thesis defense!
CONGRATS to Maxime on his publication in the Journal of Neuroscience!
Welcome to the lab, M.D./Ph.D. candidate Isabella Salas-Allende!
CONGRATS to Dr. Mary Cundiff on passing her thesis defense!
Welcome to the lab, Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Krishna Muthukumarappan!
CONGRATS to Dr. Katrina Nguyen and Dr. Brian Isett on their publication in Neuron!
Welcome to the lab, Dr. Tom Fuchs!
Isett, Brian R., Katrina P. Nguyen, Jenna C. Schwenk, Jeff R. Yurek, Christen N. Snyder, Maxime V. Vounatsos, Kendra A. Adegbesan, Ugne Ziausyte, and Aryn H. Gittis. “The Indirect Pathway of the Basal Ganglia Promotes Transient Punishment but Not Motor Suppression.” Neuron 111, no. 14 (2023).
Albaugh, Daniel L., and Aryn H. Gittis. “Stressing the Importance of Cholinergic Interneurons in Striatal Function.” Movement Disorders (2021).
Spix, Teresa A., et al. “Population-Specific Neuromodulation Prolongs Therapeutic Benefits of Deep Brain Stimulation.” Science (2021).
Aristieta, Asier, and Aryn Gittis. “Distinct Globus Pallidus Circuits Regulate Motor and Cognitive Functions.” Trends in Neuroscience (2021).
Nguyen, Katrina P., Abhinav Sharma, Mauricio Gil-Silva, Aryn H. Gittis, and Steven M. Chase. “Distinct Kinematic Adjustments Accompany Locomotor Skill Development in Mice.” Neuroscience (2021).
Gittis, Aryn H., Benjamin M. Hooks, and Charles R. Gerfen. “Basal Ganglia Circuits.” In Neural Circuit and Cognitive Development, 221–242. Academic Press, 2020.
Lawler, Alyssa J., Ashley R. Brown, Rachel S. Bouchard, Noelle Toong, Yeonju Kim, Nitinram Velraj, Grant Fox, Michael Kleyman, Byungsoo Kang, Aryn H. Gittis, and Andreas R. Pfenning. “Cell Type-Specific Oxidative Stress Genomic Signatures in the Globus Pallidus of Dopamine-Depleted Mice.” Journal of Neuroscience, 2020.
Phillips, Ryan S., Ian Rosner, Aryn H. Gittis, and Jonathan E. Rubin. “The Effects of Chloride Dynamics on Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata Responses to Pallidal and Striatal Inputs.” eLife, 2020.