Tamas Horvath Chair, Section of Comparative Medicine; Professor of Comparative Medicine, Neurobiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology » Neuroscience » D.V.M. University of Veterinary Sciences, Hungary 1990; Ph.D. Szeged University, Hungary 1999 My main interest is the neuroendocrine regulation of homeostasis with particular emphasis on metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes, and the effect of metabolic signals on higher brain functions and neurodegeneration. We have active research programs to pursue the role of synaptic plasticity in the mediation of peripheral hormone's effects on the central nervous system. We also study the role of mitochondrial membrane potential in normal and pathological brain functions with particular emphasis on the acute effect of mitochondria in neuronal transmission and neuroprotection. We combine classical neurobiological approaches, including electrophysiology and neuroanatomy, with endocrine and genetic techniques to better understand biological events at the level of the organism. Diano, S., et al. (2006). Ghrelin controls hippocampal spine synapse density and memory performance. Nature Neurosci. 9:381-388. Andrews, Z.B., Diano, S., and Horvath, T.L. (2005). Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins in the central nervous system: in support of function and survival. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 6(11):829-40. Pinto, S., et al. (2004). Rapid re-wiring of arcuate nucleus feeding circuits by leptin. Science 304(5667):110-115. email tamas.horvath@yale.edu