Dr Matt Jones

Dr Matt Jones
BA(Cantab), PhD(Bristol)

MRC Senior Non-clinical Fellow

Area of research

Neuronal networks in cognition and disease

Office E33/E7
School of Medical Sciences,
University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD
(See a map)

Alt. +44 (0) 117 331 2242
Tel. +44 (0) 117 331 2289
matt.jones@bristol.ac.uk

Research summary

Rhythmic neuronal activity reflects the coordination and interactions of networks of neurons during complex cognitive processes and behaviour. Accordingly, many psychiatric disorders are associated with impaired neural synchrony.

We use specialized 'tetrode' electrodes to record simultaneously from large groups of neurons, measuring synchrony of network activities in anatomically and functionally related circuits, both during normal behaviour and in models of diseases like schizophrenia, Down syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease.

Selected publications

McHugh, T, Jones, M, Quinn, J, Balthasar, N, Coppari, R, Elmquist, J, Lowell, B, Fanselow, M, Wilson, M & Tonegawa, S 2007, ‘Dentate Gyrus NMDA Receptors Mediate Rapid Pattern Separation in the Hippocampal Network’. Science, vol 317 (5834)., pp. 94 - 99
Jones, M & Wilson, M 2005, ‘Theta rhythms coordinate hippocampal-prefrontal interactions in a spatial memory task’. PLoS Biology, vol 3 (12)., pp. e402

Recent publications

Lloyd, K, Becker, N, Jones, MW & Bogacz, R 2012, ‘Learning to use working memory: a reinforcement learning gating model of rule acquisition in rats’. Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, vol 6.
Phillips, K, Bartsch, U, McCarthy, A, Edgar, D, Tricklebank, M, Wafford, K & Jones, MW 2012, ‘Decoupling of sleep-dependent cortical and hippocampal interactions in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia’. Neuron, vol 76.