Welcome to the Castro-Lab website. We study how neural circuits change their activity and responsiveness as rodents (mostly mice) transition between behavioral states. These adjustments occur dynamically so that the brain can effectively process information as behavioral contingencies demand. Understanding these mechanisms is a crucial first step to decipher how neural circuits mediate behavior, and how they are altered by neurological and psychiatric disorders.
One of the behaviors we study is active avoidance, which is a complex learned behavior that involves both classical and operant conditioning. This video shows a rat trained in active avoidance. Go to Research to learn more.