Brain networks, localized or brain-wide, exist only at the cellular level, between specific pre- and postsynaptic neurons which are connected through functionally diverse synapses located at specific points of their cell membranes. “Connectomics” is an emerging neuroscience field explicitly aimed at elucidating with cellular resolution and a quantified accuracy the wiring of brain networks. Connectomic data are indispensable for realistic modeling of brain circuitry and function. Because of the submicron caliber, 3D complexity and high packing density of somas, dendrites and synapses, as well as the fact that axons frequently extend over long distances to make synapses in remote brain regions, creating connectomic maps is technically challenging and requires innovative, multi-scale approaches.
In our laboratory, we combine state-of-the-art neuron labeling techniques with light and electron microscope 3D tools for reconstruction and measurement and in vivo and in vitro cellular recordings. Our work is focused in resolving the axonal and synaptic architectures of the projection neurons that bind together the thalamus and cerebral cortex into a highly integrated, scale free functional network.
Lab Researchers
Lab technicians
Past Lab Members, current employment
• Verónica Martínez Cerdeño Ph.D.
Associate Professor, University of California Davis, USA.
• María José Galazo Berrendero, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
• Tania Ramos Moreno. Ph.D.
Associate Researcher School of Medicine, Lund University (Sweden)
• Javier Bernácer María. Ph.D.
Staff Researcher, Clínica Universitaria, Universidad de Navarra (Pamplona, Spain)
• Carolina Cebrián Parajón. Ph.D.
Supply Chain Specialist, Idipharma (Spain).
• Anushree Tripathi. Ph.D.
Senior Research Engineer, Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umea University, Umea, Sweden).
• Flor A. Pérez de Manzo. MD. Ph.D.
Profesora Adjunta de Anatomía Humana, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla (Colombia).
• Ruthnaldo R.M. de Lima, Ph.D.
Professor Associado, Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Norte, Natal (Brasil).
• Expedito S. Do Nascimento Jr. Ph.D.
Professor Associado, Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Norte, Natal (Brasil).
• Ana Aransay García. MD. Ph.D.
Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid.
• Mequisedec Santana, Ph.D.
Professor Asociado. Universidade Federal do Vale do Rio São Francisco, Paulo Afonso, BA, Brasil.
• Angélica Córdoba Claros, Ph.D.
Clinical Research Associate, Syneos Health (London, UK).
• Maria Angeles Evangelio Chanzá, Ph.D.
• Felipe Fiuza, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher. Departamento de Fisiología, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Norte, Natal RN (Brasil).
• Paulo Leonardo A. G. Morais. Ph.D.
Postdoctoral researcher. Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Norte (Mossoró, RN Brazil)
Selected Publications
Recent articles
Gonzalo Martin, E. Alonso-Martinez C, Prensa L, Clasca F (2023) Micropopulation mapping of the mouse parafascicular nucleus reveals diverse input-output motifs. Fronters in Neuroanatomy 17-2023: doi: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1305500
Timonidis N, Rubio-Teves M, Alonso-Martínez C, Bakker R, García-Amado M, Tiesinga P, Clascá F. (2023) Analyzing Thalamocortical Tract-Tracing Experiments in a Common Reference Space. Neuroinformatics. 2023 Oct 21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12021-023-09644-4
Liu M, Lerma-Usabiaga, Clasca F, Paz-Alonso PM. (2023) High-resolution tractography protocol to investigate the pathways between human mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and prefrontal cortex. The Journal of Neuroscience. JN-RM-0721-23. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0721-23.2023
Morais PLAG, Rubio-Garrido P. De Lima RM, Córdoba Claros A, De Nascimento ES, Cavalcante JS, Clasca F (2023) The arousal-related "central thalamus" stimulation site simultaneously innervates several high-level frontal and parietal areas. The Journal of Neuroscience 2023 Sep 27: JN-RM-1216-23. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1216-23.2023.
Kleven1 H, Bjerke IE, Clascá F, Groenewegen HJ, Bjaalie JG, Leergaard TB (2023) Waxholm Space atlas of the rat brain: A 3D atlas supporting data analysis and integration. Nature Methods. 2023 Oct 2. doi: 10.1038/s41592-023-02034-3.
Alonso-Martínez C, Rubio-Teves M, Porrero C, Clascá F (2023) Cerebellar and basal ganglia inputs define three main nuclei in the mouse ventral motor thalamus. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 17:1242839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnana.2023.124283
Iavarone E, Simko J, Shi Y, Bertschy M, García-Amado M, Litvak P, Kaufmann AK, O'Reilly C, Amsalem O, Abdellah M, Chevtchenko G, Coste B, (...) Clascá F, Markram H, Hill SL. (2023) Thalamic control of sensory processing and spindles in a biophysical somatosensory thalamoreticular circuit model of wakefulness and sleep. Cell Reports 42(3):112200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112200
Casas-Torrremocha D, Rubio-Teves M, Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Hayashi S, Prensa L, Molnár Z, Porrero C, Clasca F(2022) A combinatorial input landscape in the “higher-order relay” posterior thalamic nucleus. The Journal of Neuroscience 42:7757-7781. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0698-22.2022
Liu M, Lerma-Usabiaga G, Clascá F, Paz-Alonso PM. (2022) Reproducible protocol to obtain and measure first-order relay human thalamic white-matter tracts. Neuroimage. 262:119558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119558
Mukherjee A, Bajwa N, Lam NH, Porrero C, Clasca F, Halassa MM. (2020) Variation of connectivity across exemplar sensory and associative thalamocortical loops in the mouse. Elife. 2020 Oct 26;9:e62554. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009051.
Rodriguez-Moreno J, Porrero C, Rollenhagen A, Rubio-Teves M, Casas-Torremocha D, Alonso-Nanclares L, Yakoubi R, Santuy A, Merchan-Pérez A, DeFelipe J, Lübke JHR, Clasca F. Area-Specific Synapse Structure in Branched Posterior Nucleus Axons Reveals a New Level of Complexity in Thalamocortical Networks. J Neurosci. 2020 Mar 25;40(13):2663-2679. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2886-19.2020. Epub 2020 Feb 13. https://www.jneurosci.org/content/40/13/2663
Casas-Torremocha D, Porrero C, Rodriguez-Moreno J, García-Amado M, Lübke JHR, Núñez Á, Clascá F. (2019) Posterior thalamic nucleus axon terminals have different structure and functional impact in the motor and somatosensory vibrissal cortices. Brain Struct Funct. 2019 May;224(4):1627-1645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-019-01862-4
Mayer A, Lewenfus G, Bittencourt-Navarrete RE, Clasca F, Franca JGD. (2019) Thalamic Inputs to Posterior Parietal Cortical Areas Involved in Skilled Forelimb Movement and Tool Use in the Capuchin Monkey. Cereb Cortex. 2019 Mar 19. pii: bhz051. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhz051
Mátyás F, Komlósi G, Babiczky A, Kocsis K, Barthó P, Barsy B, Dávid C, Kanti, V, Porrero C, Magyar A, Szűcs I, Clasca F, Acsády L. (2018) A highly collateralized thalamic cell type with arousal-predicting activity serves as a key hub for graded state transitions in the forebrain. Nature Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-018-0251-9
Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Hayashi S, Upton L, Nolan Z, Casas-Torremocha D, Grant E, Viswanathan S, Kanold PO, Clasca F, Kim Y, Molnár Z. (2018) Subset of Cortical Layer 6b Neurons Selectively Innervates Higher Order Thalamic Nuclei in Mice. Cerebral Cortex, 28:1882-1897. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhy036
Rodriguez Moreno J., J, Rollenhagen A., Arlandis J, Santuy A, Merchán-Pérez A, DeFelipe J, Lubke JHR, Clasca F (2018) Quantitative 3D ultrastructure of thalamocortical synapses from the ‘lemniscal’ ventral posteromedial nucleus in mouse barrel cortex. Cerebral Cortex. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhx187
Book Chapters
Clascá F. (2023). Thalamic Output pathways: Global Layout and Nucleus-Level Organization. In: Usrey WM and Sherman SM (Eds) The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 109-120.
Clasca F. (2023) Thalamic Output Pathways: Single-Cell Organization Level. In: Usrey WM and Sherman SM (Eds) The Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus, New York: Oxford University Press pp. 121-131.
Clascá F. (2022). A Brief History of Thalamus Research. In M. Halassa (Ed.), The Thalamus (pp. 1-26). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108674287.002
Clascá F. (2022). Thalamic Output Pathways. In M. Halassa (Ed.), The Thalamus (pp. 45-70). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108674287.004
Clasca F, Porrero C, Galazo, M, Rubio-Garrido P, & Evangelio M (2016) Anatomy and Development of Multi-specific Thalamocortical Axons: Implications for cortical dynamics and evolution. In K.S. Rockland, (ed.) Axons and Brain Architecture, Amsterdam: Elsevier. pp. 69-92. ISBN: 978-0-12-801393-9 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801393-9.00004-9