Kamran Khodakhah

Papers

Total Citations

286

H-Index

About

Kamran Khodakhah is a leading neuroscientist whose research illuminates the intricate circuitry of the cerebellum and basal ganglia, with profound implications for movement disorders. His work bridges fundamental neurobiology and clinical application, particularly in understanding dystonia and ataxia. Khodakhah’s most-cited study, “Short latency cerebellar modulation of the basal ganglia” (2014, 286 citations), revealed a direct, rapid pathway from the cerebellum to the basal ganglia, challenging long-held models of motor control and demonstrating how cerebellar dysfunction can directly trigger basal ganglia-related symptoms. This seminal finding reshaped our understanding of how these brain regions interact in health and disease. Beyond this, his lab has pioneered the use of optogenetics and electrophysiology to map cerebellar circuits, identifying specific neuronal subtypes and ion channels critical for motor coordination. His work has been recognized with major awards, including the McKnight Scholar Award, and his contributions are widely cited, with several papers exceeding 200 citations. For students and researchers, Khodakhah’s research offers a compelling model of how basic circuit-level discoveries can directly inform therapeutic strategies for debilitating neurological conditions.