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Physiologists study the normal functions of the organism, neurophysiologists investigate the nervous system, the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and the senses. We offer lectures, seminars and courses in neuro- and sensory physiology for students of medicine, dentistry, psychology and pharmaceutical sciences. This basic training in natural sciences builds the fundament for the understanding and the treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases.

Specifically we teach the basic properties of excitable cells, the electrical signals between the cells, the central and peripheral nervous system, the vegetative nervous system, the higher functions of the brain and of the sensory organs.

Pathophysiology – the failure often illustrates the normal function; therefore we participate in the introduction to clinical medicine and in the clinical lectures on pathophysiology. We are particularly committed to support the scientific education, doctoral students (medical or natural sciences) usually get their doctorate within 3 years, also in the frame of a “Graduiertenkolleg”. We have no contact to patients.


Research

Our scientific focus is Neuroscience, Brain Research, the communication between nerve cells, synaptic transmission, modulation and plasticity. We investigate the properties of nerve cells from the molecule through single cells, networks and systems to behaviour.

Of central interest are the ascending pathways from the brainstem and the hypothalamus, which allow our highly developed cortex to consciously and attentively apply its intellectual power. These pathways use biogenic amines (acetylcholine, dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, histamine) as transmitters. Their dysfunctions are responsible for most important neuropsychiatric diseases (e.g. Alzheimer, Parkinson, Schizophrenia, Depression).

We further investigate the roles of the major inhibitory and excitatory transmitters (GABA, glutamate, peptides) in activity-dependent changes of synaptic transmission – cellular correlates for learning and memory, which must reside in a critical balance for normal function. The hypothalamus directs our hormonal and behavioral state and the vegetative nervous system. It regulates energy (food) intake and consumption, body temperature, sleep and waking. Narcolepsy is a disease with unresistable sleep attacks during the day, sleep paralysis and worst of all, cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone out of the waking (as it normally only occurs during REM sleep).

Our methods include electrophysiological techniques from EEG to intracellular single cell recording from brain slices and patch clamp, combined with molecular biology (single cell PCR), rapid application pharmacology and behavior.

Our research was and is supported by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Human Frontiers Science Program, EU 5. framework program and others.


A few papers from recent years:

Haas HL and Selbach O (2000) Functions of neuronal adenosine-receptors. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmacol. 362: 375-381.

Eriksson, KS, Sergeeva, OA, Brown, RE and Haas HL (2001) Orexin/Hypocretin excites the histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus. J. Neurosci. 21:9273-9279.

Brown RE, Sergeeva OA, Eriksson KS and Haas HL (2002) Convergent excitation of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons by multiple arousal systems (orexin/hypocretin, histamine and noradrenaline). J. Neurosci 22: 8850-8859

Sergeeva OA, Eriksson KS, Sharonova IN, Vorobjev VS and Haas HL (2002) GABAA receptor assembly and function in hypothalamic neurons, Europ. J. Neurosci. 16: 1472-1482

Korotkova TM, Sergeeva OA, Eriksson KS, Haas HL and Brown RE (2003) Excitation of ventral tegmental area dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons by orexins/hypocretins J. Neurosci 23:7-11

Haas HL and Panula P (2003) The role of histamine and the tuberomamillary nucleus in the nervous system. Nature Neuroscience Reviews 4: 121-130