Topic: brain plasticity

Design and conduct behavioural and neuroimaging studies of learning-related brain plasticity at the Center for Lifespan Psychology. The project tests the EESR theory through motor-skill learning and analyses of brain change. Responsibilities include study design, advanced statistical analysis, manuscripts and scientific presentations. The Berlin appointment is initially for three years at 39 hours per week. This vacancy belongs to the September 2026 Max Planck Postdoc Program call, which accepts applications until 13 October 2026 at 12:00 CEST through the official application platform.

Rhythmic changes in sex hormone levels across the ovarian cycle exert powerful effects on the brain and behavior, and confer female-specific risks for neuropsychiatric conditions. In this talk, Dr. Kundakovic will discuss the role of fluctuating ovarian hormones as a critical biological factor contributing to the increased depression and anxiety risk in women. Cycling ovarian hormones drive brain and behavioral plasticity in both humans and rodents, and the talk will focus on animal studies in Dr. Kundakovic’s lab that are revealing the molecular and receptor mechanisms that underlie this fema

There are currently no approved therapies to slow down the accumulation of neurological disability that occurs independently of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). International agencies are engaging to expedite the development of novel strategies capable of modifying disease progression, abrogating persistent CNS inflammation, and support degenerating axons in people with progressive MS. Understanding why regeneration fails in the progressive MS brain and developing new regenerative approaches is a key priority for the Pluchino Lab. In particular, we aim to elucidate how the immune system, i

Microglia are the immune cells of the brain, and play increasingly appreciated roles in synapse formation, brain plasticity, and cognition. A growing appreciation that the immune system involved in diseases like schizophrenia, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases has led to renewed interest in how microglia regulate synaptic connectivity. Our group previously identified the IL-1 family cytokine Interleukin-33 (IL-33) as a novel regulator of microglial activation and function. I will discuss a mechanism by which microglia regulate synaptic plasticity and long-term memories by engulfing brai

Sleep has been classically described as an all-or-nothing global phenomenon. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that typical sleep hallmarks, such as slow waves and spindles, occur and are regulated locally. I will present here evidence indicating that slow waves, in particular, may be related with, and offer a read-out of, local and long-range brain connectivity. In fact, slow waves do not only track changes related to both experience-dependent plasticity and brain maturation during development, but also appear to be actively involved in the fine regulation of brain plasticity and