• Sensory Biology – Visual System: Retinal Physiology using multi-electrodes / Patch Clamp
• Neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer rodent models: Behavior / Synaptic Plasticity
• Computational Neuroscience and Neural Coding in the retina

• My laboratory is interested in the study of the visual system, particularly in its early stages occurring in the retina. We use multi-electrode electrophysiology to study the structure and function of populations of hundreds of neurons and learn how they are affected during aging and neurodegeneration. We seek results that will lead us to propose repair of the nervous system through gene therapies. We use biochemical methods to assess the functional characteristics of the visual system, which is part of the nervous tissue, and computational tools to understand the mechanisms of neuronal coding. Another line of research is the neurobiology of learning and memory, using behavior, biochemistry, and synaptic plasticity to address the etiology of neurodegeneration during aging. For the latter, we have transgenic and natural models to study aging during Alzheimer’s disease. Another area of my interest is complexity science, and I coordinate several multidisciplinary activities at the Instituto de Sistemas Complejos in Valparaíso, Chile (www.sistemascomplejos.cl).

• Gonzalo Valdivia, Alvaro O. Ardiles, Claudia Salazar, Abimbola Idowu, Hey-Kyoung Lee, Michela Gallagher, Adrian G Palacios and Alfredo Kirkwood. ” mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity in rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease and aging”. Front. Synaptic Neuroscience. Vol 15:1123294. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1123294
• Duran-Aniotz et al. 2023. The unfolded protein response transcription factor XBP1s ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease by improving synaptic function and proteostasis. Molecular Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.03.028
• Cabral-Miranda F et al. 2022 Unfolded protein response IRE1/XBP1 signaling is required for healthy mammalian brain aging The EMBO Journal 41:e111952 https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2022111952
• J Araya-Arriagada, S Garay, C Rojas, C Duran-Aniotz, A G. Palacios, M Chacon & L E. Medina. 2022. Scientific Report Multiscale entropy analysis of retinal signals reveals reduced complexity in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Sci Rep 12, 8900
•  Palanca-Castan N, PA Harcha, D Neira, Palacios AG (2020). Chromatic pupillometry for the characterization of the pupillary light reflex in Octodon degus. Experimental Eye Research, 107866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2019.107866
• Lily Yu-Li Chang, Alvaro O Ardiles, Cheril Tapia-Rojas, Joaquín Araya, Nibaldo C Inestrosa, Palacios AG, Monica Liliana Acosta. (2020) Evidence of synaptic and neurochemical remodeling in the retina of ageing degus. Frontiers in Neuroscience 14, 161. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00161
• Stefan Mihalas, Alvaro Ardiles, Kaiwen He, Adrian Palacios and Alfredo Kirkwood. 2021 A Multi-subcellular Compartment Model of AMPA Receptor Trafficking for Neuromodulation of Hebbian Synaptic Plasticity. Synaptic Neurosci., https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsyn.2021.703621
• Joaquin Araya, Felipe Bello, Gaganashree Shivashankar, David Neira, Claudia Duran-Aniotz, Monica L Acosta, Maria Jose Escobar, Claudio Hetz, Max Chacon, Adrian G Palacios. Functional Changes on the Retinal Ganglion Cells in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease Are Linked with Neurotransmitters Alterations. J Alzheimers Dis 2021 Mar 13. doi:10.3233/JAD-201195.
• Joaquin Araya, Felipe Bello, Gaganashree Shivashankar, David Neira, Claudia Duran-Aniotz, Monica L Acosta, Maria Jose Escobar, Claudio Hetz, Max Chacon, Adrian G Palacios. Functional Changes on the Retinal Ganglion Cells in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease Are Linked with Neurotransmitters Alterations. J Alzheimers Dis 2021 Mar 13. doi:10.3233/JAD-201195.
• Daymara Mercerón-Martínez, Cristobal Ibaceta-González, Claudia Salazar, William Almaguer-Melian, Jorge A Bergado-Rosado, Adrian G Palacios. Alzheimer’s disease, Neural Plasticity and Functional Recovery. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021 Jan 13. doi: 10.3233/JAD-201178
• Ana Silva, Cecilia Tomassini, Julieta Zurbrigg, Adrián G Palacios, Verónica Amarante, Cecilia Bouzat. Gender inequality in Latin American Neuroscience community. IBRO Neurosci Rep. 2021 Jan 31; 10:104-108. doi: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.01.006.
• Lily YL Chang, Nicolas Palanca-Castan, David Neira, Adrian G Palacios, Monica L Acosta. Ocular Health of Octodon degus as a clinical marker for age-related and age-independent neurodegeneration. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 15(6). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2021.665467
• Herzog R, Morales A, Mora S, Araya J, Escobar M-J, Palacios AG, et al. (2021) Scalable and accurate method for neuronal ensemble detection in spiking neural networks. PLoS ONE 16(7): e0251647. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251647

Book Chapters

• Escobar MJ, Alexandre F, Viéville T, Palacios AG. (2023). Bio–Inspired Robotics. In Rapid Roboting Recent Advances on 3D Printers and Robotics Editors: F Auat, P Prieto, G Fantoni. Pag 161-194
• Palacios AG, Cosmelli D, Cohen-Varela A. (2011). Un recorrido junto a Francisco Varela. Pag. 11-22. Edit. Adrian Palacios y Amy Cohen-Varela. La ciencia del ser: Las rutas de Francisco Varela. Editorial Universidad de Valparaiso. 320 p.
• Cessac B, Palacios A. Spike train statistics from empirical facts to theory: the case of the retina, in “Modeling in Computational Biology and Biomedicine: A Multidisciplinary Endeavor”, F. CAZALS, P. KORNPROBST (editors), Lectures Notes in Mathematical and Computational Biology (LNMCB), Springer-Verlag, 2013.
• Juan Pablo Cárdenas, Gastón Olivares, Fabiola Cabrera, Rodrigo Alfaro, Daniel Goya, Horacio Samaniego, Jorge Gibert, Adrián G. Palacios. (2014). Redes complejas: un caso de estudio sobre la colaboración científica. En Las Rutas de la Complejidad. Eds. Bustos, Marquez y Palacios. Pag. 177-210.
• Las Rutas de la Complejidad. (2014). Editores: Edmundo Bustos Azócar, Pablo Marquet Iturriaga y Adrián Palacios Vargas. Ediciones Instituto de Sistemas Complejos de Valparaiso. ISBN 978-956-9478-00-0. 236 paginas

Outgoing Grants

1. 2023-2024 ESTHETICS Exploring the functional Structure of THe rETIna with Closed loop Stimulation. A physiological and computational approach. Bruno Cessac Pi, Co-Pi Adrian Palacios, and Rodrigo Cofre. Université Côte d’Azur. Academy of Excellence Networks, Information and Digital Society. RISE Academy 2023.
2. 2023 PhD International Mobility Programme DocWalker. Simone Ebert, supervisor Bruno Cessac. Foreign Laboratory Adrian Palacios.
3. 2023-2026 Understanding the language of the retinal neural code. ANID Fondecyt Regular #1230170. PI Escobar MJ. Co-PI Adrián Palacios.
4. 2023-2026 Exploración ANID #13220082. Looking through the window: a novel complexity-based electroretinogram analysis for neurodegenerative disease diagnosis L. Medina PI, A. Palacios PI.
5. 2023-2024 FOVI220134 Fomento a la Vinculación Internacional para Instituciones de Investigación, ANID. Vinculación científica entre Chile y Nueva Zelanda para evaluar la complejidad de la función visual retiniana como método diagnóstico de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer. Araya J PI, Co-Pi Adrián Palacios.
6. 2021-2023 STIC-AMSUD Cerebellum-like Artificial Neural Networks bioinspired on cerebellum neural architecture at multiple levels of complexity (CLANN). 4.500 Euros. Juan Montiel PI, Co PI A Palacios. AMSUD210029.
7. 2021-2025. FONDECYT #1210790 “Evaluation of Photomodulation as a Complementary Treatement option for Diabetic Retinopathy”. Oliver Schmachtemberg PI. Adrián Palacios Co-Investigador.
8. 2020-2024 Fondecyt Regular #1200880 Contribution of the Unfolded Protein Response in Retinal Neural Circuits during Aging and Neurodegeneration. PI Adrián Palacios.
9. 2019-2020. Institucional: Parte diseño Proyecto Ciencia e Innovación 2030 CORFO. Coordinador.
10. 2019- FONDEQUIP EQM190032 Fortalecimiento del área de la neurociencia interdisciplinaria: adquisición de un equipo de electrofisiología multi (4225) electrodo de última generación para el estudio de circuitos (redes) de neuronas.

Outgoing Collaborations

Computational Neuroscience: INRIA (F. Alexandre, T. Vieville, B. Cessac), Maria Jose Escobar , UTFSM.

Alzheimer Disease (A. Kirkwood , Hopkins U, USA, M. Acosta, U Auckland)