Project description
Decoding motor learning in the brain
In humans and animals, the ability to move from one place to another, known as locomotion, encompasses a range of movements and involves the coordinated activity of various body systems. Motor learning is key for adaptive locomotion in a dynamic environment, but the neural mechanisms involved are not fully understood. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SuperLoco project aims to explore the role of neural fibres in the cerebellum. The research team will create gait asymmetry in mice and use advanced technologies to uncover how timing of neural fibre signals affects cerebellar activity and locomotor adaptation. Project results will contribute to our understanding and treatment of movement disorders.
Objective
Motor learning is essential to move in a continuously changing environment, but the underlying neural circuit mechanisms are still poorly understood. This is critical for locomotion, a fundamental but complex behavior, which requires precise control of whole-body movements at the same time.
The cerebellum plays a key role in motor learning, supposedly generating corrective movements through supervised error-based mechanisms in response to perturbation. For simple tasks, climbing fibers originating in the Inferior olive drive supervised learning, generating changes of cerebellar activity and corrective responses.
During locomotion, perturbations cause gait asymmetries, which can be externally induced in a split-belt treadmill with belts running at different speeds. The host laboratory developed a split-belt treadmill to study locomotor adaptation in mice, showing that it is similar to humans, occurs through motor corrections with complex spatiotemporal dynamics, and is driven by the cerebellum. However, the underlying neural bases are unknown.
SuperLoco aims to identify supervised mechanisms for locomotor learning, exploiting the synergy between cutting-edge technologies to interact with neural circuits and computational neuroscience tools. Specifically, we will: (i) record climbing fiber and cerebellar activity during locomotor learning in mice with high-yield electrophysiology, (ii) simulate locomotor learning in a bioinspired spiking neural network of the cerebellum with climbing fiber-supervised plasticity, (iii) optogenetically stimulate climbing fibers to induce locomotor learning based on model predictions. Our main hypothesis is that the timing of climbing fiber signals determines changes of cerebellar activity through supervised plasticity driving locomotor learning.
SuperLoco outcomes will shed light on neural mechanisms for complex whole-body movements, fundamental in neuroscience and crucial for treatment of movement disorders.
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.
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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.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
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)
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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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-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.
1400-038 LISBOA
Portugal
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.