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Understanding how self-movement representations shape motor learning

Project description

Fruit fly brain to shed light on sensorimotor adaptation

How does the brain compare sensory information to movements and update behaviour? Little is known about sensorimotor adaptation. The EU-funded FlyLearn project will turn to the fruit fly for answers. Fruit flies have a set of neurons (HS cells) that integrate movement with visual information. Also, when transitioning to low-locomotion states, serotonergic neurons are active (calibrating movements to visual feedback). The project will conduct experiments to link the activity of HS cells and serotonergic neurons to sensorimotor adaptation. It will record the neural activity from these neurons. The findings will shed light on how the neural signals in HS cells and serotonergic neurons change during motor learning.

Objective

To execute accurate movements animals must continuously calibrate their behavior to changes in their bodies and the environment. This process, called sensorimotor adaption, is thought to take place by comparing sensory feedback with internal movement representations. How the brain compares sensory information to movements and updates behavior is not well understood for any animal species. We propose to tackle this problem by using the fruit fly, because, flies have a set of neurons (HS cells) that integrate movement with visual information, being ideal candidates to convey information of self-movement during learning. Also, in a wide array of species spanning from the C. elegans to mice, including the fruit fly, when animals transition to low locomotion states serotonergic neurons are active, being possible substrates to calibrate movements to visual feedback. Here, we propose a set of experiments to inhibit and activate HS cells and serotonergic neurons and casually link their activity to sensorimotor adaption. Also, we will record the neural activity from these neurons to understand how the neural signals in HS cells and serotonergic neurons change during motor learning. This project will provide a detailed mechanistic description on how representations of self-movement in the brain are modulated by serotonin and used for motor learning. This knowledge will be useful to inspire new motor learning theories and understand how the brain generates behavior.

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

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Coordinator

FUNDACAO D. ANNA DE SOMMER CHAMPALIMAUD E DR. CARLOS MONTEZ CHAMPALIMAUD
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 147 815,04
Address
AVENIDA BRASILIA, CENTRO DE INVESTIGACAO DA FUNDACAO CHAMPALIMAUD
1400-038 LISBOA
Portugal

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Total cost

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.

€ 147 815,04
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