Objective
The proposed MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship project investigates the potential of early cannabinoid-based therapies to alleviate psychiatric and cognitive symptoms in Huntington’s Disease (HD), a fatal neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive motor, psychiatric, and cognitive decline. The research, to be hosted at IDIBAPS in Barcelona under the supervision of Prof. Silvia Ginés, integrates behavioral phenotyping, cell-type-specific transcriptomics, and functional brain imaging to assess whether cannabidiol (CBD) or combined CBD:THC interventions can modulate early neuroinflammatory and synaptic dysfunctions in HD. Previous studies show that the endocannabinoid system is dysregulated early in HD, especially with reduced CB1 receptor expression in mood and memory-related brain regions. Preclinical evidence suggests that phytocannabinoids, particularly CBD and THC, might alleviate these early non-motor symptoms, though mechanisms remain unclear. This project hypothesizes that targeted cannabinoid therapies could delay or reverse depressive behaviors and cognitive impairments in HD by acting on neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity, thereby potentially altering the disease trajectory. The approach will utilize two well-characterized mouse models (R6/1 and HdhQ111), treating animals at both adolescent and young-adult stages with escalating doses of CBD and CBD:THC in different ratios. Behavioral outcomes will be measured using validated paradigms for depression (Forced Swim Test, Tail Suspension Test, Sucrose Preference) and cognition (Y-maze, Novel Object Location, Novel Object Recognition). At the molecular level, transcriptomic profiling will be performed using RiboTag mice to isolate mRNA from specific neuronal populations (glutamatergic and GABAergic), identifying gene expression changes linked to treatment, with a focus on inflammatory markers and CB1R-mediated pathways. Neuroimaging studies will involve resting-state fMRI scans analyzed for conne
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Keywords
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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
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-2025-PF
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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.
08036 BARCELONA
Spain
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.