The neocortex is the largest and most unique part of the mammalian brain. It generates neural events that are essential for normal perception, motor control, memory, and cognition. To help understand the mechanisms of the neocortex, my students and I study the basic physiology of its neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters, and the patterns of its connections. We discovered that inhibitory neurons in the cortex communicate via electrical synapses, and that electrically coupled networks of neurons can serve as pacemakers for cortical rhythms in the brain. We are also studying how neural activity leads to plasticity of cortical circuits, and how the seizure discharges of epilepsy begin and propagate through the cortex. Our methods include intracellular and extracellular recording and patch clamping, neuroanatomical techniques, isolated slice preparations, optogenetics, and computer modeling.