Objective
The basal ganglia are a group of interconnected subcortical nuclei that comprise one of the brain’s fundamental processing units. Striatal circuits lie at the centre of the basal ganglia, and are critical for the performance of the high-level computations required for complex motor and cognitive behaviours. The striatum is composed primarily of projection neurons, but the small proportion of interneurons is highly influential in controlling activity across the structure. Striatal neurons are also the main target of dopaminergic signals arising in the midbrain, the loss of which underlies Parkinson’s disease, a common neurodegenerative disease. Depletion of dopamine in the striatum leads to abnormal network oscillations in the basal ganglia and it has been hypothesized that such activities cause the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease; rigidity and akinesia. Despite the importance of striatal circuits, the mechanisms by which the different types of striatal neuron interact to support behaviour are not well understood. The overall aim of this project is to define the roles played by different types of striatal neuron in both the normal brain and a model of Parkinson’s disease, with particular emphasis on network oscillations. To achieve this, we will define the in vivo physiological properties of neurochemically- and morphologically-identified striatal neurons, including both projections neurons and interneurons. We will combine this with multi-electrode recordings of large neuronal networks, to effectively account for several levels of functional organization. This multidisciplinary project utilises the coordinator’s proven expertise in the electrophysiology of the striatum, while also offering him an unparalleled opportunity to learn new skills in neuroanatomy, as well as transferable skills for career development, at the host institution. The successful completion of this project will thus greatly facilitate the coordinator’s progression to full independence.
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.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine anatomy and morphology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology parkinson
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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.
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.
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.
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG
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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.
Coordinator
W1B 1AL LONDON
United Kingdom
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.