What We Do
At the Liou Laboratory, we investigate the mechanisms by which anesthetic agents modulate brain activity, with the overarching goal of identifying novel applications of anesthetics for understanding and managing neuropsychiatric disorders, including sleep dysregulation and epilepsy-related conditions, using an integrated optoelectrical platform that combines transparent electrode arrays with calcium imaging.
How We Work
We employ an integrated suite of cutting-edge techniques to investigate brain activity:
• Electrophysiology: Recording electrical signals to characterize neuronal communication and cortical dynamics.
• Advanced Optical Imaging: Using various microscopic methods to visualize brain activity in real time.
• Computer Modeling: Developing computational models to simulate and interpret complex brain dynamics.
Our research primarily uses transgenic mouse models, but we are also part of a broader network that studies human brain activity using intracranial EEG recordings, enabling translational insights from basic science to clinical applications.
Our Main Research Areas
1. Anesthesia, Consciousness, and Sleep: Exploring Altered Brain States
General anesthesia and natural sleep share fundamental electrophysiological similarities, characterized by the emergence of cortical slow waves, which are low-frequency, synchronized oscillations that are thought to contribute to excitatory–inhibitory (E/I) balance and network stability.
Current research questions include:
• How brain activity under anesthesia differs from or resembles sleep.
• How these patterns help maintain healthy brain function.
Our goal is to investigate whether anesthetic-induced slow oscillations can reproduce the restorative functions of natural sleep, with implications for treating sleep dysregulation and improving postoperative neurocognitive outcomes.
2. Epilepsy and Neural Network Dynamics: Understanding and Intervening
Epilepsy is a condition where the brain’s normal activity becomes disrupted, leading to seizures. The Liou Laboratory investigates how the brain’s neural networks change during the onset of epilepsy—a process called epileptogenesis.
Key questions driving this research include:
• How do neuronal populations and network connectivity change during epileptogenesis?
• Can we intervene early to stop or slow the process?
To answer these, we use kindling models and novel cortical excitability models in transgenic mice to examine the progression of epileptogenesis. Our work aims to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for epilepsy, with potential relevance for improving therapeutic strategies in epilepsy.
Join The Liou Laboratory
We are now welcoming visiting scholars, postdoctoral fellows, and candidates for collaborative partnerships. Whether you are interested in joining our team, sharing ideas, or contributing to our research, we would love to hear from you.
The Liou Laboratory sits at the intersection of biology, engineering, and neuroscience. Whether you are curious about the brain, passionate about solving medical mysteries, or just excited to learn something new, we invite you to follow our discoveries and explore the fascinating world of anesthesia and brain science with us.
For More Information and Lab Updates
If you would like to learn more about the latest developments and updates from our lab, please click the link below:
Welcome to the Liou Lab | Jyun-you Liou’s Lab