Objective
Schizophrenia is associated with impairment of social cognition and social function. Medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is crucial for processing of social cues and regulation of social behaviour. Altered connectivity within mPFC in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls could explain patients’ poorer ability to differentiate between individuals and impairment to emotion recognition. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is one of the largest know genetic risk factors for developing schizophrenia and is associated with impairments to social recognition and emotion processing. However, the changes to mPFC neurocircuitry in 22q.11.2 causing the social cognition deficits remain poorly understood. Oxytocin (OXT) is pivotal to social recognition and social function. Inactivation of mPFC OXT receptors impairs social recognition in mice comparable to social cognition deficits in schizophrenia. The 22q11.2 deletion mouse model (LgDel) displays impairments to social memory and emotion recognition and mice display altered mPFC neuronal activity patterns during cognitive tests and brain OXT levels are lower in LgDel compared to wild type mice. These findings suggest that social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia could be caused by disruption to mPFC neurocircuitry, possibly mediated by altered OXT availability or by OXT modulation of dopamine within mPFC. Using a combination of cutting edge electrophysiological recordings and measurement of OXT and dopamine real-time dynamics during a battery of non-social and social cognitive tests, I aim to deliver detailed information about neuronal activity and synchrony throughout the mPFC in during social cognition tests in WT and LgDel mice. This will provide insight into the micro-circuitry underlying changes to neurofunction and cognition in schizophrenia cause impairments, which could aid the improvement of treatment of social cognition deficits in Schizophrenia.
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.
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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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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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.
16163 GENOVA
Italy
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.