Subthalamic nucleus
Spatio-molecular architecture of the STN and adjacent nuclei across species, and its role in motor control, aversion and reward.
Mackenzie Lab · Lund University
Mapping the cells and circuits of the subthalamic nucleus and dopamine system — with viral tracing, optogenetics, FISH, behaviour and microscopy.
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AAV tracingOptogeneticsFISH / RNAscopeConfocalBehaviourSpatial transcriptomicsIHCCre/Flp linesAAV tracingOptogeneticsFISH / RNAscopeConfocalBehaviourSpatial transcriptomicsIHCCre/Flp lines
About the lab
A small region with outsized influence.
The subthalamic nucleus is a key node of the basal ganglia and a clinical target for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease — yet its cellular heterogeneity remains only partly understood.
We identify molecularly defined subpopulations within the STN and the dopaminergic midbrain, trace their connectivity with viral vectors, manipulate them with optogenetics, and link their activity to behaviour — bridging molecular anatomy and translational neuroscience.
Focus areas
Three lines of inquiry.
Dopamine circuits
Heterogeneity of midbrain dopamine neurons, including glutamate co-release via VGLUT2 in mesoaccumbal and mesocortical pathways.
Translational
Implications for Parkinson's disease, deep brain stimulation, addiction and neuropsychiatric disorders.
"Resolution at the level of single cells, interpretation at the level of circuits."
Lab principle
80+
Peer-reviewed publications
4 850+
Total citations
34
h-index (Scholar)
1999
Lab established
Get in touch
Interested in joining or collaborating?
We welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students, postdocs and collaborators working on basal ganglia, dopamine, optogenetics or spatial transcriptomics.