Prof. Moshe Parnas

Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience

Principles of Learning and Memory

We are studying principles of learning and memory. In particular, we are asking what are the mechanisms that allow for efficient and yet noise-free learning and memory. We are also interested in how the brain prevents competing memories from being formed.

Research topic:

1. 20 years ago, GPCR were found to be voltage dependent. However, despite 20 years of research, the physiological roles of GPCR voltage dependence are unknown.

2. How different memories generated following Pavlovian or operant conditioning are formed in the brain and how these different memories relate to one another.

Research methods:

Our model system is the Drosophila olfaction system. We use a multidisciplinary approach that includes: in vivo whole cell patch recordings, in vivo functional imaging, behavior experiments, molecular biology, mathematical modelling and genetics.

Selected Publications

1. Rozenfeld E., Ehmann N., Manoim JE., Kittel R. J. and Parnas M., (2023). Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity Rescues Neural Coding Reliability. Nature Communications, 2023 141 14:1–14.

2. Manoim, J. E., Davidson, A. M., Weiss, S., Hige, T., and Parnas, M., (2022). Lateral axonal modulation is required for stimulus-specific olfactory conditioning in Drosophila. Current Biology, 32, 4438-4450.e5.

3. Israel S., Rozenfeld E., Weber D., Huetteroth W., and Parnas M., (2022). Olfactory Stimuli and Moonwalker SEZ Neurons Can Drive Backward Locomotion in Drosophila. Current Biology, 32, 1131-1149.e7.

4. Rozenfeld E., Tauber M., Ben-Chaim Y., and Parnas M., (2021). GPCR voltage dependence controls neuronal plasticity and behavior. Nature Communications 12 (1), 1-11‏.

5. Rozenfeld E., Lerner H., and Parnas M., (2019). Muscarinic Modulation of Antennal Lobe GABAergic Local Neurons Shapes Odor Coding and Behavior. Cell Reports, 29, 3253-3265.e4.

6. Bielopolski N., Amin H., Apostolopoulou AA., Rozenfeld E., Lerner H., Huetteroth W., Lin AC. and Parnas M. (2019). Inhibitory muscarinic acetylcholine receptors enhance aversive olfactory conditioning in adult Drosophila. eLife, 8

7. Parnas, M., Lin, A.C., Huetteroth. W., and Miesenböck, G. (2013). Odor discrimination in Drosophila: From neural population codes to behavior. Neuron, 79:932-944.