• Library
  • Intranet
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  • About
  • Education
  • Research
  • Departments & Centers
Giving
Search
Menu
Montefiore Health System
  • Faculty Directory
  • Research Connections
  • Faculty Directory
  • Research Connections
Information For
  • Alumni
  • Donors
  • Faculty
  • Postdocs
  • Students (Prospective, Current)
  • Visitors
Quick Links
  • About
  • Administration
  • Careers
  • Departments & Centers
  • Directory
  • Education & Admissions
  • Events
  • Find Faculty
  • Giving
  • Health
  • Intranet
  • Library
  • Research
  • Webmail
News & Media
  • Newsroom
  • Blog
  • Einstein in the News
  • Expert List for Media
  • Features
  • Magazine
  • Multimedia
  • News Releases
  • Research Briefs
  • Social Media Hub

Faculty Profile

  • Home
  • Faculty Directory
  • Pablo E. Castillo, M.D., Ph.D.

Pablo E. Castillo, M.D., Ph.D.

Pablo E. Castillo

Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience

Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Neuroscience

Area of Research: Synaptic transmission and plasticity in the mammalian brain. Synaptic dysfunction in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia and drug abuse.

Contact Information

718.430.3263pablo.castillo@einsteinmed.edu

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Rose F. Kennedy Center

1410 Pelham Parkway South, Room 701
Bronx, NY 10461

Research ProfilesPubMed Portal

More Resources: Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience

Is this your profile? Edit profile

Professional Interests

Synaptic transmission underlies every aspect of nervous system function. How we think, feel, act, and learn, all rely on information transfer between nerve cells. The main goal of my research program is to understand how neural activity controls the strength of synaptic connections in the brain -- a process known as synaptic plasticity -- and how dysregulation of this process contributes to brain disease states. To examine synaptic function and gain insights into the mechanisms and functional consequences of synaptic plasticity, we utilize a combination of experimental approaches, including electrophysiology, molecular pharmacology, optogenetic tools, calcium imaging using two-photon laser microscopy, in vivo molecular manipulations that target intracellular signaling and protein expression, in vivo recordings of neuronal activity, and mouse models for various neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia.


Selected Publications

Nasrallah K, Frechou MA, Yoon YJ, Persaud S, Gonçalves JT, Castillo PE (2022) Seizure-induced strengthening of a recurrent excitatory circuit in the dentate gyrus is pro-convulsant. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. (in press).

Monday HR, Kharod SC, Yoon YJ, Singer RH, Castillo PE (2022) Presynaptic FMRP and local protein synthesis support structural and functional plasticity of glutamatergic axon terminals. Neuron (in press) doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.05.024.

Ramos C, Lutzu S, Yamasaki M, Yanagawa Y, Sakimura K, Tomita S, Watanabe M, Castillo PE. (2022) Activation of Extrasynaptic Kainate Receptors Drives Hilar Mossy Cell Activity. J Neurosci. 42:2872-2884. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0922-21.2022.

Lituma PJ, Kwon HB, Alviña K, Luján R, Castillo PE (2021) Presynaptic NMDA receptors facilitate short-term plasticity and BDNF release at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses. eLife 10:e66612. doi: 10.7554/eLife.66612.

Jensen KR, Berthoux C, Nasrallah K, Castillo PE. (2021) Multiple cannabinoid signaling cascades powerfully suppress recurrent excitation in the hippocampus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 118(4):e2017590118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2017590118

Monday, H. R., Bourdenx, M., Jordan, B. A. & Castillo, P. E. (2020) CB1 receptor-mediated inhibitory LTD triggers presynaptic remodeling via protein synthesis and ubiquitination. elife https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.09.900464

Weng FJ, Garcia RI, Lutzu S, Alviña K, Zhang Y, Dushko M, Ku T, Zemoura K, Rich D, Garcia-Dominguez D, Hung M, Yelhekar TD, Sørensen AT, Xu W, Chung K, Castillo PE, Lin Y. (2018) Npas4 Is a Critical Regulator of Learning-Induced Plasticity at Mossy Fiber-CA3 Synapses during Contextual Memory Formation. Neuron 97:1137-1152.

Monday HR, Younts TJ, Castillo PE. (2018) Long-Term Plasticity of Neurotransmitter Release: Emerging Mechanisms and Contributions to Brain Function and Disease. Annu Rev Neurosci. 41:299-322.

Hashimotodani Y, Nasrallah K, Jensen KR, Chávez AE, Carrera D, Castillo PE. (2107) LTP at Hilar Mossy Cell-Dentate Granule Cell Synapses Modulates Dentate Gyrus Output by Increasing Excitation/Inhibition Balance. Neuron 95:928-9.

Younts TJ, Monday HR, Dudok B, Klein ME, Jordan BA, Katona I, Castillo PE. (2016) Presynaptic Protein Synthesis Is Required for Long-Term Plasticity of GABA Release. Neuron 92:479-492.

Park J, Chávez AE, Mineur YS, Morimoto-Tomita M, Lutzu S, Kim KS, Picciotto MR, Castillo PE, Tomita S. (2016) CaMKII Phosphorylation of TARPγ-8 Is a Mediator of LTP and Learning and Memory. Neuron. 2016 Oct 5;92(1):75-83.

Jurgensen S, Castillo PE. (2015) Selective Dysregulation of Hippocampal Inhibition in the Mouse Lacking Autism Candidate Gene CNTNAP2. J Neurosci 35:14681-7.

Hunt DL, Puente N, Grandes P, Castillo PE (2013) Bidirectional NMDA receptor plasticity controls CA3 output and heterosynaptic metaplasticity. Nat Neurosci. 16:1049–59.

Castillo PE, Younts TJ, Chavez AE, Hashimotodani Y (2012) Endocannabinoid signaling and synaptic function. Neuron 76:70–81.

Rodenas-Ruano A, Chávez AE, Cossio MJ, Castillo PE, Zukin RS (2012) REST-dependent epigenetic remodeling promotes the developmental switch in synaptic NMDA receptors. Nat Neurosci. 15:1382–90.

Straub C, Hunt DL, Yamasaki M, Kim KS,Watanabe M, Castillo PE, Tomita S. (2011) Unique functions of kainate receptors in the brain are determined by the auxiliary subunit Neto1. Nat Neurosci. 14:866–73.

Castillo PE, Chiu CQ, Carroll RC (2011) Long-term plasticity at inhibitory synapses. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 21:328–338.

Chávez AE, Chiu CQ, Castillo PE (2010). TRPV1 activation by endogenous anandamide triggers postsynaptic LTD in dentate gyrus. Nat Neurosci. 13:1511–8.

Heifets BD and Castillo PE (2009) Endocannabinoid signaling and long-term synaptic plasticity. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 71:283–306.

Kwon HB & Castillo PE (2008) Role of glutamate autoreceptors at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses. Neuron. 60, 1082–94.

Kwon HB & Castillo PE (2008) Long-term potentiation selectively expressed by NMDA receptors at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses. Neuron. 57, 108-20.

Heifets BD, Chevaleyre V & Castillo PE (2008) Interneuron activity controls endocannabinoid-mediated presynaptic plasticity through calcineurin. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 105, 10250–5.

Chevaleyre V, Heifets BD, Kaeser PS, Sudhof TC & Castillo PE (2007) Endocannabinoid-mediated long-term plasticity requires cAMP/PKA signaling and the active zone protein RIM1alpha. Neuron 54, 801–812.

Chevaleyre V, Takahashi K., Castillo P.E. (2006) Endocannabinoid-mediated synaptic plasticity in the CNS. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 29:37–75.

Chevaleyre V & Castillo PE (2003) Heterosynaptic LTD of hippocampal GABAergic synapses: a novel role of endocannabinoids in regulating excitability Neuron 38, 461-72.

Related News

More News

  • New Insights into Fragile X Syndrome and Autism
    Research Brief
    New Insights into Fragile X Syndrome and Autism

    Jul 08, 2022

  • Four Student Researchers Win 2022 Marmur Award
    Feature
    Four Student Researchers Win 2022 Marmur Award

    Apr 20, 2022

  • Protein Implicated in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
    Research Brief
    Protein Implicated in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

    Nov 22, 2021

  • 2021 Dennis Shields Prize Celebrates Postdoctoral Research Excellence
    Feature
    2021 Dennis Shields Prize Celebrates Postdoctoral Research Excellence

    Nov 02, 2021

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
718.430.2000
Affiliated With
Montefiore Health
Yeshiva University
  • About Einstein
    • History
    • Dean's Page
    Administration
    • Administrative Departments
    Alumni
    Careers
  • Centers (Research)
    Contact Us
    Departments
    Diversity
    • Report a Bias Incident
    Donors
    • Giving to Einstein
  • Education
    • Graduate Medical Education (G.M.E.)
    • Graduate Program (Ph.D.)
    • Master of Science in Bioethics (M.B.E.)
    • Master of Science in Clinical Research Methods (M.S.)
    • Medical Program (M.D.)
    • MSTP Program (M.D. - Ph.D.)
  • Einstein Senate
    Faculty Directory
    Health
    • Affiliated Institutions
    • Clinical Programs
    • Global Health
    • E-M Partnership
    INTRANET
    Library
    Luminis Portal
  • Newsroom
    • Blog
    • Einstein in the News
    • Expert List for Media
    • Features
    • Magazine
    • Multimedia
    • News Releases
    • Research Briefs
    • Social Media Hub
  • Policies
    Research
    • Collaboration Zone
    • Scientific Resources
    Video
    Visitors
    • Campus Map
    • Directions
    Webmail
ALBERT EINSTEIN ®
College of Medicine
© Albert Einstein College of Medicine | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Webmaster