The research in the Kann laboratory has two scientific focuses:

1. The human brain has a relatively high energy demand and is very sensitive to shortage of oxygen and glucose. We investigate the neuronal energy metabolism and the functions of mitochondria, in particular during synchronized neuronal network activities that underlie higher brain functions, such as perception and memory, under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

2. The human brain possesses innate immune cells, so-called microglial cells (resident macrophages). Microglia become activated, for example, during injury and infection. We investigate the impact of microglia at different activation stages on neuronal network activities and neurodegeneration.

Our basic research provides insights into pathophysiological mechanisms that might have a role in brain diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.

Selected publications:

Hollnagel JO, Cesetti T, Schneider J, Vazetdinova A, Valiullina-Rakhmatullina F, Lewen A, Rozov A, Kann O. Lactate attenuates synaptic transmission and affects brain rhythms featuring high energy expenditure. iScience. 2020 Jul 24; 23(7):101316. doi 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101316.

Ta TT, Dikmen HO, Schilling S, Chausse B, Lewen A, Hollnagel JO, Kann O. Priming of microglia with IFN-γ slows neuronal gamma oscillations in situ. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Feb 19;116(10):4637-4642. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1813562116.

Schneider J, Berndt N, Papageorgiou IE, Maurer J, Bulik S, Both M, Draguhn A, Holzhütter HG, Kann O. Local oxygen homeostasis during various neuronal network activity states in the mouse hippocampus. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2017 Jan 1:271678X17740091. doi: 10.1177/0271678X17740091. [Epub ahead of print]

Papageorgiou IE, Lewen A, Galow LV, Cesetti T, Scheffel J, Regen T, Hanisch UK, Kann O. TLR4-activated microglia require IFN-γ to induce severe neuronal dysfunction and death in situ. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jan 5;113(1):212-7.

Kann O, Huchzermeyer C, Kovács R, Wirtz S, Schuelke M. Gamma oscillations in the hippocampus require high complex I gene expression and strong functional performance of mitochondria. Brain. 2011 Feb;134(Pt 2):345-58.

Kann O, Kovács R, Njunting M, Behrens CJ, Otáhal J, Lehmann TN, Gabriel S, Heinemann U. Metabolic dysfunction during neuronal activation in the ex vivo hippocampus from chronic epileptic rats and humans. Brain. 2005 Oct;128(Pt 10):2396-407.