Lukas Ian Schmitt, Ph.D.

Research Overview

Our ability to perceive and understand the dynamically changing world around us depends on an “internal model” that is created in the brain through the integration of sensory inputs with information stored in memory. The distributed cognitive processing team seeks to understand how this “internal model” is formed/updated by multi-scale network interactions. To study these functions, we employ cutting-edge electrophysiological, optogenetic and behavioral methods to reveal and control neuronal activity. Through our discoveries, we seek to help restore/enhance human abilities via novel treatments and therapeutic techniques as well as by developing new brain-machine interface (BMI) technologies.

Main Research Fields

Biological Sciences

Related Research Fields

Engineering / Environmental Science / Complex Systems / Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering / Mathematical & Physical Sciences / Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy / Neurofunctional Research / Basic Brain Science Related / Neurophysiology in Model Organisms

Keywords

• Internal Model
• Brain-Machine Interface
• Cognitive Flexibility
• Electrophysiology
• Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Selected Publications

• Nakajima M, Schmitt LI.
  "Understanding the circuit basis of cognitive functions using mouse models"
  Neurosci Res. pii: S0168-0102(19)30670-4, (2019)
  10.1016/j.neures.2019.12.009
• Nakajima M*, Schmitt LI*, Feng G, Halassa MM
  "Combinatorial Targeting of Distributed Forebrain Networks Reverses Noise Hypersensitivity in a Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder"
  Neuron, 104(3): 488-500 (2019)
  10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.040
• Nakajima M, Schmitt LI, Halassa MM.
  "Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Sensory Filtering through a Basal Ganglia-to-Thalamus Pathway"
  Neuron, 103(3): 445-458, (2019)
  10.1016/j.neuron.2019.05.026
• Liang L*, Oline SN*, Kirk JC, Schmitt LI, Komorowski RW, Remondes M, Halassa MM.
  "Scalable, Lightweight, Integrated and Quick-to-Assemble (SLIQ) Hyperdrives for Functional Circuit Dissection"
  Front Neural Circuits, 11: 8, (2017)
  10.3389/fncir.2017.00008
• Schmitt LI, Wimmer RD, Nakajima M, Happ M, Mofakham S, Halassa MM.
  "Thalamic amplification of cortical connectivity sustains attentional control"
  Nature, 545(7653): 219-223, (2017)
  10.1038/nature22073
• Schmitt LI, Halassa MM
  "Interrogating the mouse thalamus to correct human neurodevelopmental disorders"
  Molecular Psychiatry, 22(2):183-191, (2017)
  10.1038/mp.2016.183
• Wells MF*, Wimmer RD*, Schmitt LI, Feng G, Halassa MM
  "Thalamic reticular impairment underlies attention deficit in Ptchd1(Y/-) mice"
  Nature, 532(7597): 58-63, (2016)
  10.1038/nature17427
• Wimmer RD*, Schmitt LI*, Davidson TJ, Nakajima M, Deisseroth K, Halassa MM.
  "Thalamic control of sensory selection in divided attention."
  Nature, 526(7575): 705-709, (2015)
  10.1038/nature15398
• Clasadonte J*, McIver SR*, Schmitt LI*, Halassa MM, Haydon PG
  "Chronic sleep restriction disrupts sleep homeostasis and behavioral sensitivity to alcohol by reducing the extracellular accumulation of adenosine"
  J Neurosci. 34(5): 1879-91, 2014
  10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2870-12.2014
• Schmitt LI, Sims RE, Dale N, Haydon PG
  "Wakefulness affects synaptic and network activity by increasing extracellular astrocyte-derived adenosine"
  J Neurosci, 32(13): 4417-25, (2012)
  10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5689-11.2012