In the McQuiston laboratory, we study an area of the brain crucial to the formation of long term memories – the hippocampus. In particular, we are interested in how small groups of inhibitory neurons (interneurons) control the integration of excitatory activity in the principle neurons that encode information in the hippocampus. More specifically, we are interested in how the release of the neuromodulator acetylcholine changes hippocampal neural network function, as occurs during attentive behaviors. We are also interested in how the hippocampal network is changed by chronic use of drugs of abuse. In our investigations, we use whole cell patch clamping, voltage-sensitive dye imaging, photolysis of caged compounds, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology and transgenic animals. We hope that our studies will contribute to a better understanding of both physiological and pathophysiological changes that occur in hippocampal neural network function.