Project description
The amygdala and the treatment of mood disorders
Depression, anxiety and nearly all other mental disorders are associated with a neuromodulatory imbalance in specific sub-circuits. As such, the treatment of mood disorders requires a deeper understanding of the different neuromodulatory inputs to specific brain regions. The EU-funded AmygdalaNeuroMod project will focus on the amygdala, which plays a key role in the regulation of emotions. Specifically, the project will study the functional role of neuromodulatory inputs to the amygdala circuitry in the processes of learning and decision-making. The findings will shed light on the logic of interactions between neuromodulators and their implementation at the level of defined circuits and cell types in the amygdala.
Objective
Proper neuronal circuit function depends fundamentally on the balance of neuromodulators, a set of neurotransmitters released widely throughout the brain. Almost every mental disorder, including anxiety and depression, that affect one out of four Europeans, are associated with a neuromodulatory imbalance in specific sub-circuits. Elucidating the role of different neuromodulatory inputs to specific brain regions holds the keys to understanding and treating mood disorders.
The amygdala plays an essential role in the processing of emotional stimuli and salience, ranging from reward to threat and synaptic alterations in this region are critical for learning and emotional processing. Amygdala is innervated by every major neuromodulator, yet surprisingly little is known about the activity of these inputs under physiological conditions and how neuromodulation regulates amygdala circuit activity during different behavioral states and learning.
Here, I propose to study the functional role of neuromodulatory inputs to the amygdala circuitry during learning and decision-making. Towards this goal, I will combine my experience in large-scale electrophysiology with the expertise of the host laboratory in modern genetic tools and neurotechnologies to simultaneously record and manipulate the activity of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and acetylcholine inputs to the amygdala during context-guided decision-making in behaving mice. Using this approach, I aim to characterize the logic of interactions between neuromodulators and its implementation at the level of defined circuits and cell types in the amygdala and to demonstrate the role of this coordination in defining network activity, behavioral state and learning.
The fellowship will contribute to our basic understanding of the interplay between two core brain systems, while it will provide me with a unique opportunity to expand my expertise and establish the foundations of my future career as an independent group leader.
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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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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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.
4056 BASEL
Switzerland
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.