About Dr Jerome Baufreton

My laboratory is interested in understanding the synaptic and cellular mechanisms governing information transfer in the basal ganglia. This network is composed of a group of interconnected subcortical brain nuclei that are critical for voluntary movement, learning and motivation, and the primary site of dysfunction in motor-related disorders such as Parkinson´s disease (PD) and Huntington´s disease (HD). Our objectives are to define the principles underlying the normal and pathophysiological operation of the basal ganglia. Our hope is that this information will provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms contributing to PD and HD and will be useful in developing new therapeutic strategies that more effectively treat the symptoms of these disorders.

We utilize multiple experimental approaches including electrophysiology (patch-clamp and extracellular multi-units recordings), calcium imaging, molecular profiling, optogenetics ex vivo and in vivo, neuronal tracing and immunohistochemistry. We combined all these approaches to decipher: 1) the role of specific neuronal subpopulations in motor control, 2) synaptic transmission and plasticity of GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses of the basal ganglia network, 3) the cellular and molecular mechanisms of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS). Our research is supported by the Agence National de la Recherche, the French Parkinson’s disease association and la Fondation de France.

For further information, please also see: http://www.imn-bordeaux.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&lang=fr

5 Selected Publications

Azzedine Abdi, Nicolas Mallet, Foad Y Mohamed, Andrew Sharott, Paul D Dodson, Kouichi C Nakamura, Sana Suri, Sophie V Avery, Joseph T Larvin, Farid N Garas, Shady N Garas, Federica Vinciati, Stéphanie Morin, Erwan Bezard, Jérôme Baufreton, Peter J Magill. (2015) Prototypic and arkypallidal neurons in the dopamine-intact external globus pallidus. J Neurosci., 35 (17) :6667-6688.

Courtin J., Chaudun F., Rozeske R,. Karalis N., Gonzalez-Campo C., Wurtz H., Abdi A., Baufreton J., Bienvenu T., Herry C. (2014) Prefrontal parvalbumin interneurons shape neuronal activity to drive fear expression. Nature, 505 (7481) : 92-6.

Dupuis J., Feyder M., Miguelez C., Garcia L., Morin S., Choquet D., Hosy E., Bezard E., Fisone G., Bioulac B., Baufreton J. (2013) Dopamine-dependent long-term depression at subthalamo-nigral synapses is lost in experimental Parkinsonism. J Neurosci., 33 (36) :14331-41.

Fan K., Baufreton J., Surmeier DJ., Chan CS., Bevan MD. (2012) Proliferation of external globus pallidus-subthalamic nucleus synapses following degeneration of midbrain dopamine neurons. J Neurosci., 32 (40) :13718-28.

Miguelez C., Morin S., Martinez A., Goillandeau M., Bezard E., Bioulac B., Baufreton J. (2012) Altered pallido-pallidal synaptic transmission leads to aberrant firing of Globus Pallidus neurons in a rat model of Parkinson´s disease. J Physiol., 590 (22) :5861-75.

Awards, Fellowships and Honours

2015            Agence Nationale de La Recherche (ANR) Grant

2013           Grants from Fondation de France (FDF) (and 2010)
2009            Agence Nationale de La Recherche (ANR) Young Investigator Grant
2005            Association France Parkinson Fellowship Award

Technical Expertise

• Dopamine receptor signaling
• Synaptic Transmission and plasticity in health and disease (Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease)
• Optogenetic dissection of Basal ganglia circuits ex vivo and in vivo
• Pach-clamp electrophysiology
• Motor behaviour
• Immunohistochemistry