About

Franz Weber, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He is affiliated with the Department of Neuroscience, the Chronobiology Program, and several graduate groups including Cell and Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, and Bioengineering. His research focuses on the neural and homeostatic mechanisms controlling REM sleep and the functional role of this brain state in emotional memories and behaviors. His laboratory employs a wide range of methods such as optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, calcium imaging, viral tracing, and quantitative modeling to understand the neural circuits involved in REM sleep regulation. Additionally, he seeks to develop a circuit-based understanding of how REM sleep influences emotional behaviors in health and disease.

Research topics

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Biology
• Computer science
• Physics

Selected publications

• High-density electrophysiological recordings in midbrain and pons during sleep

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-04-09

  datasetOpen accessSenior author

  Neuropixels recordings from the study Low-Dimensional Population Dynamics in the Brainstem Gate REM Sleep by David E. Lozano, Jiso Hong, Xi Jin, Joseph Stucynski, Christian K. Machens, Shinjae Chung, Franz WeberThe repository contains the Neuropixels recordings combined with EEG/EMG recordings from 5 cohorts of mice. Within each cohort folder, there is a config file (“cohort name”_config.txt). To load the data, make sure to adjust <BASE_PATH> to your system. A specific recording can be loaded using:neuropyx.load_mouse(mouse, config_file)where “mouse” is the mouse/recording name (string following flag “MOUSE:” in the config file) and “config_file” is the file name of the config file. The python module neuropyx.py can be found under https://github.com/tortugar/NpxThe repository also contains the source data for Extended Data Fig. 5c (SourceData_ExtData5c.csv).

  PublisherDOI

• Sleep circuits welcome the cortex

  SLEEP · 2025-01-02 · 1 citations

  letterOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Role of Hypothalamic CRH Neurons in Regulating the Impact of Stress on Memory and Sleep

  Journal of Neuroscience · 2025-06-09 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Stress profoundly affects sleep and memory processes. Stress impairs memory consolidation and, similarly, disruptions in sleep compromise memory functions. Yet, the neural circuits underlying stress-induced sleep and memory disturbances are still not fully understood. Here, we show that activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (CRH PVN ), similar to acute restraint stress, decreases sleep and impairs memory in a spatial object recognition task in male mice. Conversely, inhibiting CRH PVN neurons during stress reduces stress-induced memory deficits while slightly increasing the amount of sleep. We found that both stress and stimulation of CRH PVN neurons activate neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and that CRH PVN projections to the LH regulate stress-induced memory deficits and sleep disruptions. Our results suggest that CRH PVN neuronal pathways regulate the adverse effects of stress on memory and sleep—an important step toward improving sleep and ameliorating cognitive deficits associated with stress-related disorders.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Homeostatic regulation of rapid eye movement sleep by the preoptic area of the hypothalamus

  eLife · 2024-06-17 · 10 citations

  articleOpen access

  Rapid eye movement sleep (REMs) is characterized by activated electroencephalogram (EEG) and muscle atonia, accompanied by vivid dreams. REMs is homeostatically regulated, ensuring that any loss of REMs is compensated by a subsequent increase in its amount. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the homeostatic control of REMs are largely unknown. Here, we show that GABAergic neurons in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus projecting to the tuberomammillary nucleus (POA GAD2 →TMN neurons) are crucial for the homeostatic regulation of REMs in mice. POA GAD2 →TMN neurons are most active during REMs, and inhibiting them specifically decreases REMs. REMs restriction leads to an increased number and amplitude of calcium transients in POA GAD2 →TMN neurons, reflecting the accumulation of REMs pressure. Inhibiting POA GAD2 →TMN neurons during REMs restriction blocked the subsequent rebound of REMs. Our findings reveal a hypothalamic circuit whose activity mirrors the buildup of homeostatic REMs pressure during restriction and that is required for the ensuing rebound in REMs.

  PublisherDOI

• Circuit mechanism underlying fragmented sleep and memory deficits in 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of autism

  iScience · 2024-10-30 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Strikingly, sleep problems are positively correlated with the severity of ASD symptoms, such as memory impairment. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sleep disturbances and cognitive deficits in ASD are largely unexplored. Here, we show that non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMs) is fragmented in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of ASD. The degree of sleep fragmentation is reflected in an increased number of calcium transients in the activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) neurons during NREMs. In contrast, optogenetic inhibition of LC-NE neurons and pharmacological blockade of noradrenergic transmission using clonidine consolidate sleep. Furthermore, inhibiting LC-NE neurons restores memory. Finally, rabies-mediated screening of presynaptic neurons reveals altered connectivity of LC-NE neurons with sleep- and memory-regulatory regions in 16p11.2 deletion mice. Our findings identify a crucial role of the LC-NE system in regulating sleep stability and memory in ASD.

  PublisherDOI

• A predictive propensity measure to enter REM sleep

  Frontiers in Neuroscience · 2024-08-30 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: During sleep periods, most mammals alternate multiple times between rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. A common theory proposes that these transitions are governed by an "hourglass-like" homeostatic need to enter REM sleep that accumulates during the inter-REM interval and partially discharges during REM sleep. However, markers or mechanisms for REM homeostatic pressure remain undetermined. Recently, an analysis of sleep in mice demonstrated that the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the amount of NREM sleep between REM bouts correlates with REM bout duration, suggesting that time in NREM sleep influences REM sleep need. Here, we build on those results and construct a predictive measure for the propensity to enter REM sleep as a function of time in NREM sleep since the previous REM episode. Methods: The REM propensity measure is precisely defined as the probability to enter REM sleep before the accumulation of an additional pre-specified amount of NREM sleep. Results: Analyzing spontaneous sleep in mice, we find that, as NREM sleep accumulates between REM bouts, the REM propensity exhibits a peak value and then decays to zero with further NREM accumulation. We show that the REM propensity at REM onset predicts features of the subsequent REM bout under certain conditions. Specifically, during the light phase and for REM propensities occurring before the peak in propensity, the REM propensity at REM onset is correlated with REM bout duration, and with the probability of the occurrence of a short REM cycle called a sequential REM cycle. Further, we also find that proportionally more REM sleep occurs during sequential REM cycles, supporting a correlation between high values of our REM propensity measure and high REM sleep need. Discussion: These results support the theory that a homeostatic need to enter REM sleep accrues during NREM sleep, but only for a limited range of NREM sleep accumulation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author response: Homeostatic regulation of rapid eye movement sleep by the preoptic area of the hypothalamus

  2024-06-17

  peer-reviewOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Circuit mechanism underlying fragmented sleep and memory deficitsin 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of autism

  Research Square · 2024-03-14 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and have a major impact on the quality of life. Strikingly, sleep problems are positively correlated with the severity of ASD symptoms, such as memory impairment. However, the neural mechanisms underlying sleep disturbances and cognitive deficits in ASD are largely unexplored. Here, we show that non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMs) is highly fragmented in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of ASD. The degree of sleep fragmentation is reflected in an increased number of calcium transients in the activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) neurons during NREMs. Exposure to a novel environment further exacerbates sleep disturbances in 16p11.2 deletion mice by fragmenting NREMs and decreasing rapid eye movement sleep (REMs). In contrast, optogenetic inhibition of LC-NE neurons and pharmacological blockade of noradrenergic transmission using clonidine reverse sleep fragmentation. Furthermore, inhibiting LC-NE neurons restores memory. Rabies-mediated unbiased screening of presynaptic neurons reveals altered connectivity of LC-NE neurons with sleep- and memory regulatory brain regions in 16p11.2 deletion mice. Our findings demonstrate that heightened activity of LC-NE neurons and altered brain-wide connectivity underlies sleep fragmentation in 16p11.2 deletion mice and identify a crucial role of the LC-NE system in regulating sleep stability and memory in ASD.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Homeostatic regulation of REM sleep by the preoptic area of the hypothalamus

  eLife · 2024-04-03

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMs) is characterized by activated electroencephalogram (EEG) and muscle atonia, accompanied by vivid dreams. REMs is homeostatically regulated, ensuring that any loss of REMs is compensated by a subsequent increase in its amount. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the homeostatic control of REMs are largely unknown. Here, we show that GABAergic neurons in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus projecting to the tuberomammillary nucleus (POAGAD2→TMN neurons) are crucial for the homeostatic regulation of REMs. POAGAD2→TMN neurons are most active during REMs, and inhibiting them specifically decreases REMs. REMs restriction leads to an increased number and amplitude of calcium transients in POAGAD2→TMN neurons, reflecting the accumulation of REMs pressure. Inhibiting POAGAD2→TMN neurons during REMs restriction blocked the subsequent rebound of REMs. Our findings reveal a hypothalamic circuit whose activity mirrors the buildup of homeostatic REMs pressure during restriction and that is required for the ensuing rebound in REMs.

  PublisherDOI

• A hypothalamic circuit mechanism underlying the impact of stress on memory and sleep

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-10-19 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access

  ABSTRACT Stress profoundly affects sleep and memory processes. Stress impairs memory consolidation, and similarly, disruptions in sleep compromise memory functions. Yet, the neural circuits underlying stress-induced sleep and memory disturbances are still not fully understood. Here, we show that activation of CRH PVN neurons, similar to acute restraint stress, decreases sleep and impairs memory in a spatial object recognition task. Conversely, inhibiting CRH PVN neurons during stress reverses stress-induced memory deficits while slightly increasing the amount of sleep. We found that both stress and stimulation of CRH PVN neurons activate neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), and that their projections to the LH are critical for mediating stress-induced memory deficits and sleep disruptions. Our results suggest a pivotal role for CRH PVN neuronal pathways in regulating the adverse effects of stress on memory and sleep, an important step towards improving sleep and ameliorating the cognitive deficits that occur in stress-related disorders.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Shinjae Chung

  University of Pennsylvania

  89 shared

• Justin Baik

  University of Pennsylvania

  38 shared

• Kevin T. Beier

  University of California, Irvine

  34 shared

• Amanda Schott

  University of Pennsylvania

  28 shared

• Joseph Stucynski

  California University of Pennsylvania

  28 shared

• Jiso Hong

  University of Pennsylvania

  26 shared

• Yang Dan

  University of California, Berkeley

  20 shared

• Alexander Borst

  16 shared

Labs

• NeurosciencePI

Education

• Ph.D.

  Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen

  2011