The group`s research focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying sensory-motor processing in the vertebrate brain. They investigate how neural circuits process visual information to enable rapid sensory perception, decision-making, and the generation of coordinated motor patterns. The team uses zebrafish as a genetic model organism, as it is particularly well-suited for such studies due to their translucent skin and well-characterized genetics, which allows them to observe and manipulate neural circuits at both the single-cell and whole-brain levels. By combining advanced electrophysiological and optophysiological techniques with molecular tools, the group explores how vision drives behavior and motor function, and how self-movement impacts sensory processing, a key to ensuring perceptual stability and motor control.
A current topic of their research is the study of corollary discharge (CD), internal signals that the brain uses to suppress or modulate sensory processing during self-generated movements, such as saccades. CD signals help the brain distinguish between self-generated and external visual stimuli, stabilizing visual perception during such rapid eye movements. Investigating these mechanisms in zebrafish provides insights into similar processes in other vertebrates, including humans. Since disruptions in CD signaling are thought to be linked to perceptual disorders such as hallucinations, this research has the potential to inform new neurotechnological approaches and deepen our understanding of neural dysfunction.
Prof. Bollmann is delighted to join BrainLinks-BrainTools: "We are happy to join the Center with its focus on interdisciplinary research, integrating life sciences, engineering, and clinical research. Collaboration within this network will enable us to share methodologies, foster joint projects, and advance our work on neural circuits and behavior in an innovative research environment."
More about the research group is available at: bollmannlab.org