Dr. Riccardo Beltramo

Biography

Riccardo Beltramo dissects the neural circuits underlying visual processing, perception, and spatial cognitive control. His lab utilizes a hippocampal/parahippocampal formation model to focus on the contributions of parallel visual pathways to behaviors that promote survival, often referred to as 'adaptive behaviors.' He is particularly interested in visually-driven innate and learned behaviors, with an emphasis on spatial aspects. His research highlights how visually-evoked innate responses, such as freezing and escaping detection from distant predators, significantly reduce the likelihood of being preyed upon. Additionally, the ability to learn and navigate an ever-changing environment by creating neural 'spatial maps' from visual landmarks and optic flow is equally essential for survival. The lab's studies aim to understand the neural circuits that convert visual information into spatial maps, guiding vision-based actions. Beltramo is also focused on how maladaptive behaviors can develop from unregulated reactions to perceived danger, which may underlie severe mental illnesses such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. He employs chronic large-scale electrophysiological techniques combined with chemogenetic and optogenetic manipulations using mouse models to explore these themes, seeking to elucidate the evolution of parallel neural pathways that contribute to the remarkable associative skills observed in mammalian behavior.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards