The Neurology Department offers outstanding patient care including specialized treatment on Intensive Care and Stroke Units as well as in Inpatient and Outpatient Clinics covering the whole spectrum of Neurology. The research groups focus on age-dependent brain disorders. Basic research, translational, clinical and health care research are closely linked here.

The new Section Translational Neuroimmunology was founded with the endowed Chair of the Schilling Foundation. Here, we perform experimental and clinical studies and offer patient care in the entire field of Neuroimmunology.

apl. Prof. Dr. Matthias Schwab
Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena

Section Translational Neuroimmunology
Prof. Dr. Christian Geis

Neurology with Section Translational Neuroimmunology

Research projects

SYNABS - Synaptic pathology in autoimmune encephalitis

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Geis
DFG (FOR 3004) 2020-2023

The discovery of autoantibodies against synaptic antigens in the central nervous system (CNS) in patients with severe neuropsychiatric disorders was a breakthrough in neurology. As of today, more than 15 target molecules have been identified to which specific autoantibodies are directed each defining a subtype of disease. Importantly, these target antigens are all part of central synapses and are comprised of ionotropic and metabotrobic receptors as well as adhesion and transsynaptic signaling molecules. This novel entity of CNS disorders has been termed “autoimmune encephalitis”. The underlying pathophysiology including the molecular interactions and the often detrimental impact of the antibodies on neurons, synapses and consequently on network function are only partly understood. As a consequence, target-specific therapies are currently not available. The DFG Research Unit “Synaptic pathology in autoimmune encephalitis” (SYNABS) brings together clinician scientists in the field of antibody-mediated immunological disorders with basic scientists in the field of neurophysiology, molecular neurobiology, and neuroimmunology collectively investigating autoantibody-mediated pathology in the CNS. The aim of SYNABS is to elucidate the pathophysiology of autoimmune encephalitis in which autoantibodies are directed at synaptic targets.

Subprojects the Jena neurology is involved:

P1: Effects of human monoclonal anti-GluN1 autoantibodies on NMDA receptor channel function
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Christian Geis

P6: Effects of GABA_B receptor antibodies on neuronal signalling and hippocampal function
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Christian Geis

P7: Developmental and synaptic defects caused by transplacental transmission of NMDA receptor antibodies
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Knut Kirmse

Gut-brain-axis: Targets for improvement of cognition in the elderly

Principal investigators: Dr. Christiane Frahm, PD Dr. Kathrin Finke, Prof. Dr. Christian Gaser

EU 2020 - 2024

The age-associated decline in cognitive functions represents a serious social and medical problem. Changes in lifestyle such as physical activity and nutritional interventions – even late in life – are beneficial for cognition. SmartAge will apply a translational approach combining animal and human studies, nutritional and life style interventions, cognitive tests, brain imaging, and cutting edge OMICS as well as fecal transfer as proof of principle to identify key regulators of gut-brain communication with the aim to develop microbiome-based therapies.

SmartAge homepage

GENERATE-BOOST – Clinical Study

Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Christian Geis
BMBF 2019 - 2022

The collaborative research consortium CONNECT GENERATE combines translational research projects on autoimmune disorders of the CNS. Here, we established the world's first multicenter, randomized controlled, double-blinded, multicenter phase II trial on autoimmune encephalitis. GENERATE BOOST is coordinated from Jena and involves more than ten Neurology University Hospitals across Germany. The study evaluates the efficiacy and safety of bortezomib in patients with severe antibody-mediated autoimmune encephalitis.

NeuroGerAd – Improving adherence and health-related quality of life in neurogeriatric patients

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Tino Prell
BMBF 2019 - 2024

The fact that many people are unable or unwilling to take their medications as agreed with the physician (nonadherence) is a major health care challenge. Therefore, we determine predictors for nonadherence and medication changes after hospital discharge in a longitudinal observational study. This will be followed by a cause-specific and individualized complex intervention to improve adherence in a controlled randomized trial.

Aging and the effect of predictability and utility on perception

Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Kathrin Finke
DFG (FOR 2293) 2020 - 2023

Visual functions are especially prone to the effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Subfunctions of visual attention, such as, e.g., processing speed and top-down control are influenced by biases induced by prediction and expectancy of utility. In this project we study how normal and pathological aging influences such effects on visual processing speed and top-down control of attention. Furthermore, we analyze how these age effects are mediated by intrinsic brain networks.

Role of tangential migration for cortical network maturation

Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Knut Holthoff, Prof. Dr. Knut Kirmse
DFG 2020 - 2022

GABAergic interneurons are essential inhibitory elements of the cerebrocortical network. Since interneurons are generated in the ventral telencephalon, they need to migrate large distances to become distributed throughout the cortex. Here, we plan to investigate how genetic defects that cause interneurons to migrate outside their normal routes affect postnatal maturation of the cortical network. Our work will help to elucidate how genetic control of tangential migration is linked to the generation of a functional cortical network.

Further projects

Impact of intracellular chloride-dependent modulation of radial glia-like stem cells on hippocampal neurogenesis and the associated cognitive function in the aging brain

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Silke Keiner

DFG 2017 - 2021
Interaction of GABA_A-receptor function and network activity in the developing hippocampus

Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Knut Holthoff, Prof. Dr. Knut Kirmse

DFG 2015 - 2019, 2015-2022
Epigenome-Microbiome crosstalk: A new way to maintain cognition at old age

Principal investigator: Dr. Christiane Frahm

DFG 2019 - 2021

Selected publications

Joerk A, Ritter M, Langguth N, Seidel RA, Freitag D, Herrmann KH, Schaefgen A, Ritter M, Günther M, Sommer C, Braemer D, Walter J, Ewald C, Kalff R, Reichenbach JR, Westerhausen M, Pohnert G, Witte OW, Holthoff K. Propentdyopents as Heme Degradation Intermediates Constrict Mouse Cerebral Arterioles and Are Present in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients With Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Circ Res. 2019 Jun 7;124(12):e101-e114.
Menegaux A, Bäuerlein FJB, Vania A, Napiorkowski N, Neitzel J, Ruiz-Rizzo AL, Müller HJ, Sorg C, Finke K. Linking the impact of aging on visual short-term memory capacity with changes in the structural connectivity of posterior thalamus to occipital cortices. Neuroimage. 2020 Mar;208:116440.
Franke K, Bublak P, Hoyer D, Billiet T, Gaser C, Witte OW, Schwab M. In vivo biomarkers of structural and functional brain development and aging in humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Oct;117:142-164. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.11.002. PMID: 33308708.
Geis C, Planagumà J, Carreño M, Graus F, Dalmau J. Autoimmune seizures and epilepsy. J Clin Invest. 2019 Mar 1;129(3):926-940. doi: 10.1172/JCI125178. Epub 2019 Feb 4. PMID: 30714986; PMCID: PMC6391086.
Schubert J, Brämer D, Huttner HB, Gerner ST, Fuhrer H, Melzer N, Dik A, Prüss H, Ly LT, Fuchs K, Leypoldt F, Nissen G, Schirotzek I, Dohmen C, Bösel J, Lewerenz J, Thaler F, Kraft A, Juranek A, Ringelstein M, Sühs KW, Urbanek C, Scherag A, Geis C, Witte OW, Günther A; GENERATE and IGNITE network. Management and prognostic markers in patients with autoimmune encephalitis requiring ICU treatment. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2018 Oct 30;6(1):e514.

Outstanding achievements

PD Dr. Knut Kirmse has been appointed to a W2 professorship in physiology at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg and to a W2 professorship in anatomy at the Georg-August-Universität of Göttingen. He has accepted the appointment to Würzburg.

PD Dr. Julian Grosskreutz was appointed to a W2 professorship in neurology at the University of Greifswald. He has declined the offer.

Lattice SIM microscopy

Funded by the Thueringer Aufbaubank, a lattice-SIM super-resolution microscope was procured in the Section Translational Neuroimmunology in 2020. The system combines the advantages super-resolution fluorescence microscopy with the ability to examine fast processes on vital cells and tissues. In addition, high-resolution imaging can be combined with functional electrophysiological methodsfor the first time. The new imaging technology is used in different tissues (brain, primary nerve cells, hepatocytes, immune cells and on cellular barriers such as the blood-placenta barrier) to examine the mechanisms of neuronal, infection-related and age-associated diseases and physiological development.