Research

How do neurons communicate with each other?

The overarching hypothesis for the Kramer Lab is that axons have an active and unexplored role in neurotransmission. 

Axons can compute information and generate output that contributes to behavior and the etiology of neurological diseases, much like the somatodendritic compartment. We aim to study foundational mechanisms of neuronal signaling and physiology, and use that to better understand the brain and its diseases.

Publications

More coming soon!

Kramer, P.F., Brill-Weil, S.G., Cummins, A.C., Zhang, R., Camacho-Hernandez, G.A., Newman, A., Eldridge, M.A., Averbeck, B.B., Khaliq, Z.M. (2022). Synaptic-like axo-axonal transmission from striatal cholinergic interneurons onto dopaminergic fibers. Neuron, DOI link, PDF download

Kramer, P.F., Twedell, E.L., Shin, J.H., Zhang, R., Khaliq, Z.M. (2020). Axonal mechanisms mediating γ-aminobutyric acid receptor type A (GABA-A) inhibition of striatal dopamine release. eLife, DOI link, PDF download

Liu, C., Cai, X., Ritzau-Jost, A., Kramer, P.F., Li, Y., Khaliq, Z.M., Hallermann, S., Kaeser, P. (2022). An action potential initiation mechanism in distal axons for the control of dopamine release. Science, DOI link, PDF download

Kramer P.F., Williams, J.T. (2016). Calcium release from stores inhibits GIRK. Cell Reports, DOI link, PDF download

Kramer, P.F., Williams, J.T. (2015). Cocaine decreases metaboptropic glutamate receptor mGluR1 currents in dopamine neurons by activating mGluR5. Neuropsychopharmacology, DOI link, PDF download

Kramer, P.F.,Christensen, C.H., Hazelwood, L.A., Dobi, A., Bock, R., Sibley, D.R., Mateo, Y., Alvarez, V.A. (2011). Dopamine D2 receptor over-expression alters behavior and physiology in Drd2-EGFP mice. Journal of Neuroscience, DOI link, PDF download