Ewoud R.E. Schmidt

A human-specific genetic modifier reconfigures large-scale cortical network dynamics underlying behavioral performance

This study shows that a human-specific gene duplication alters cortical network dynamics in mice, improving task performance through reconfigured interhemispheric correlations and distributed encoding.

A human-specific enhancer fine-tunes radial glia potency and corticogenesis

The paper shows human-specific variants in HARE5 enhance enhancer activity, promoting progenitor proliferation and contributing to human cortical expansion.

Natural variation in oxytocin receptor signaling causes widespread changes in brain transcription: a link to the natural killer gene complex

This study links natural variation in oxytocin receptor signaling to changes in brain transcription, particularly in the natural killer gene complex, suggesting a mechanism for social behavior diversity.

A human-specific modifier of cortical circuit connectivity and function improves behavioral performance

This study shows that the human-specific gene SRGAP2C increases cortico-cortical connectivity and improves sensory processing and behavioral performance in mice.

Deep and superficial layers of the primary somatosensory cortex are critical for whisker-based texture discrimination in mice

The paper investigates the role of different cortical layers in texture discrimination using a 2AFC paradigm in mice, finding that both deep and superficial layers are critical for this task.

The human-specific paralogs SRGAP2B and SRGAP2C differentially modulate SRGAP2A-dependent synaptic development

This study investigates how human-specific paralogs SRGAP2B and SRGAP2C modulate SRGAP2A-dependent synaptic development in human cortical neurons.