Júlia Sala-Bayo

Interests

I am interested in the neural mechanisms that underlie executive functions and cognitive control.

The main aim of my research is to gain understanding of the neural circuit involved in cognitive flexibility. Specifically, how dopamine in stratal and mesolimbic projections regulate reversal learning. For this, I am using state-of-the-art approaches, including optogenetics, chemogenetics and local and systemic pharmacology, in combination with different behavioural tasks.

The long-term goal is to use the information gleaned about these systems in the healthy brain to better understand how learning is achieved and impaired in neurological disorders.

Research Focus

Equipment

Behavioural analysis

Chemogenetics

Confocal microscopy

Optogenetics

Pharmacology