Obiettivo "I propose to test how hyper-anxiety in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is caused by neurodegeneration in the amygdala, our ""center of fear"", by comparing with a unique group of Urbach Wiethe disease (UWD) patients with bilateral neurodegeneration of the amygdala (BLA) for which I also construct an animal model. UWD is caused by a very rare genetic mutation occurring in only a handful of individuals worldwide. My host in Lausanne has gained access, however, to a uniquely large group of UWD patients in South-Africa (>40) where the mutation has spread for 400 years in Dutch settlers. Our collaborators at Cape Town University have found, in anatomical & functional MRI and special behavioral tests, how specific loss of inhibitory projections from the basolateral (BLA) onto the central part of the amygdala (CeA) causes hyper-anxiety in UWD. Based upon recently reported BLA neurodegeneration in AD patients, I hypothesize a crucial BLA role in hyper-anxiety of AD patients. I plan to test this in AD patients with clinical collaborators in Lausanne and, to test this hypothesis causally, I have started to opto,- anc chemogenetically decrease BLA function in an animal model.In addition, in Lausanne a stronger hyper-anxiety was observed in AD patients with insecurely attached personality profiles. As my host lab has established an inhibitory role of oxytocin (OT) in the CeA, I hypothesize a decreased OT signaling in CeA of these patients, adding to the anxiety already caused by the BLA loss. I plan to test this both in AD and UWD patients by correlating attachment profiles with OT levels (in blood & cerebrospinal fluid) and anxiety levels & BLA damage (MRI). I will use opto&chemogenetic targeting of OT signaling in animals for a causal relation. This multidisciplinary and translational approach can give a deeper understanding of the role of the amygdala in hyper-anxiety in human patients, and provide a firm neurobiological basis for applying OT to treat anxiety disorders." Campo scientifico natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discoverymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologydementiaalzheimermedical and health sciencesclinical medicinepsychiatryposttraumatic stress disordermedical and health sciencesclinical medicinepsychiatryanxiety disorders Programma(i) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Argomento(i) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Invito a presentare proposte H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinatore FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA Contribution nette de l'UE € 42 069,30 Indirizzo VIA MOREGO 30 16163 Genova Italia Mostra sulla mappa Regione Nord-Ovest Liguria Genova Tipo di attività Research Organisations Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 42 069,30 Partecipanti (1) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo netto dell'UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE VAUDOIS Partecipazione conclusa Svizzera Contribution nette de l'UE € 131 564,70 Indirizzo RUE DU BUGNON 21 1011 Lausanne Mostra sulla mappa Regione Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Tipo di attività Public bodies (excluding Research Organisations and Secondary or Higher Education Establishments) Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 131 564,70