The Liou lab is interested in the mechanisms of anesthetic-induced brain activity in order to search for novel applications of anesthetics in diagnosing and managing neuropsychiatric disorders. Our approach includes electrophysiological, optical, and computational modeling approaches. The lab uses transgenic mice as the main model organism, approached by widefield calcium imaging, multiphoton microscopy, in vivo extracellular electrophysiology. Meanwhile, we are part of an extensive human intracranial EEG collaboration network. Currently, our lab has the following three major research directions.
- Anesthesia and sleep. We are interested in understanding the similarities and dissimilarities between general anesthesia and natural sleep. We are focusing on the activity of cortical neurons, asking whether the firing patterns under the two scenarios share any similarity and their association with electrophysiological signatures of the two states, such as slow waves. The ultimate goal of this project is to look for novel applications of anesthetics to treat sleep disorders and sleep disturbance secondary to various medical conditions.
- Anesthesia and consciousness. We are interested in how consciousness is lost and regenerated during the peri-anesthesia period. Currently, we are focusing on mesoscopic cortical activity patterns. We are interested in whether the patterns constitute the fundamental mechanism for the transfer of information necessary for conscious perception. Can the patterns be employed to predict states of consciousness? The ultimate goal of this research direction is to find a more precise evaluation tool for various perspectives of conscious perception and consciousness states.
- Anesthesia and cognition. We are also investigating the impact of anesthetics on cognitive circuitry. We are working on an animal model to understand why patients appear awake but amnestic under light anesthesia. Clinically, we are using iEEG data to understand in what manner anesthetics and opioids modulate the neural correlates of reward and punishment signals. The ultimate aim of this direction is to prevent and treat post-operative delirium and address opioid-use disorders
Our lab benefits from a rich network of collaborations, which enhances our access to cutting-edge research tools and innovative ideas. Our active collaborators include:
- Alipasha Vaziri – We work together on applying customized optical approaches to investigate consciousness and sleep-associated neuroscience topics. This collaboration involves the use of advanced optical systems to explore neural dynamics and cortical states.
- Hui Fang – Our partnership focuses on the design, development, and application of transparent electrode arrays in neuroscience. This collaboration involves developing novel optically compatible electrode technologies to enhance neural recording and stimulation techniques.
- Elliot Smith – We are engaged in a human intracranial EEG project that explores anesthetic-associated slow waves and their relationship with consciousness. This research aims to elucidate how these neural activities are linked to consciousness states during the peri-anesthesia period.
- Theodore Schwartz – We share specialized equipment and transgenic animal models, collaborating on research at the intersection of anesthesia and epilepsy. Our joint efforts are aimed at understanding how anesthesia influences epilepsy and related neural mechanisms.
- Brian Gill - Our ongoing project examines how GABAergic neuron activity is impacted by glioma cells. This collaboration focuses on understanding the interactions between glioma cells and inhibitory neurons in the brain.