Early Brain Circuits Laboratory

Overview

The Lopez-Huerta laboratory is dedicated to investigating the establishment and refinement of neural circuits during development, as well as the role of disruptions in this process in causing brain malfunction. To achieve this goal, we employ an integral approach that allows us to study brain circuits at the molecular, functional, and behavioral levels in health and disease. 

In the brain, neural circuits are gradually modified and optimized over time through experience and learning. During early development, the brain is highly plastic and undergoes rapid changes in response to sensory input and experiences. As neural circuits form and connect with each other, they are constantly refined and strengthened or weakened depending on their functional relevance. These processes can be disrupted by genetic or environmental factors leading to neurodevelopmental disorders. Understanding how this happens will deepen our knowledge about brain function in the early stages of life.