Project description
Neuronal mechanisms underlying traumatic memory attenuation
Fear, anger, anxiety and depression or guilt are all common reactions to trauma. The distressing memory of a traumatic event may be mitigated, however, over time and through an adaptative psychological process. Yet a lack of therapeutic support often leads to severe trauma-related disorders. In this context, the EthoFearless project, funded by the European Research Council, will investigate (for the first time) the neural circuits underlying the extinction of traumatic memories induced by exposure to naturalistic threats, namely, predators and aggressive conspecifics. The findings will pave the way for the identification of novel therapeutical targets for trauma-related disorders and shed light on how the brain can flexibly update complex memories.
Objective
Traumatic experiences generate among the strongest memories that can result in trauma-related disorders. Despite the high prevalence of these disorders, effective treatment options are scarce, calling for a deterministic understanding of the neuronal mechanisms underlying traumatic memory attenuation. For this, rodent studies classically use fear extinction paradigms where aversive experiences are modeled with the exposure to an electrical foot shock. However, the simple nature of this stimulus does not mirror the complexity of traumatic events in humans which is likely to be processed by equally complex networks. Here, I propose to investigate for the first time the neural circuits underlying the extinction of traumatic memories induced by exposure to naturalistic threats, namely, predators and aggressive conspecifics. First, we will compile a comprehensive atlas of brain activity underlying extinction of these ethological traumas and generate network organization models, which will be causally probed by pathway-specific chemogenetic manipulations. Second, we will characterize the functional input-output connectome of ethological extinction centers using a combination of viral tracing, neuronal activity and optogenetically assisted circuit mapping. This set of data will, third, provide the substrate for the study of the neurophysiological and molecular mechanisms underlying efficient extinction of ethological traumas, which will be analyzed by pathway-specific in-vivo Ca2+ imaging, closed-loop optogenetics, ex-vivo electrophysiology and RNA sequencing. Lastly, we will investigate whether impairments at the level of these newly identified networks underlie extinction deficits at the basis of trauma-related disorders. Together, these results will pave the way for the identification of novel therapeutical targets for trauma-related disorders and shed light on how the brain can flexibly update complex memories.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.