Project description
Why many psychiatric treatments can’t improve cognitive abilities
What is the role of serotonin (5-HT) in the regulation of inhibition in cortical activity and the consequences in influencing working memory (WM) maintenance? Currently available treatments targeting 5-HT signalling address different mental health symptoms but typically not cognitive capabilities. The EU-funded SERWOM project will image the electrical activities of pyramidal and distinct GABAergic interneurons while well-trained mice execute a delayed two-alternative forced choice task to read out WM during the delay period. Imaging will record cortical activity at the mesoscopic (cortex-wide) and local (prefrontal cortex) levels. The project will use a mouse model of schizophrenia that is known to exhibit WM deficits to correlate possible alterations in 5-HT signalling during cellular-level WM maintenance with WM performance at the behavioural level.
Objective
Functional integrity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is essential for higher ‘executive’ functions such as working memory (WM). Serotonin (5-HT) modulates GABAergic neurotransmission in the PFC through different 5-HT receptor subtypes that are selectively expressed in distinct GABAergic cell types. Altered GABAergic neurotransmission in the PFC of patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression is believed to be central to their pathophysiology. Currently available treatments targeting 5-HT signaling have addressed different mental health symptoms but typically not cognitive capabilities. Therefore, characterizing the causal role of distinct GABAergic cell types on circuit activity is a critical step in understanding the circuit mechanism of WM.
This proposal focuses on the role of 5-HT in the regulation of inhibition in cortical activity and their consequences in influencing WM maintenance. I will simultaneously image the electrical activities of pyramidal and distinct GABAergic interneurons while well-trained mice execute a delayed two alternative forced choice (2AFC) task to read out WM during the delay period. Imaging will be performed in both wide-field and two-photon imaging mode to record cortical activity at the mesoscopic (cortex-wide) and local (PFC) levels, respectively. I will combine optical imaging with optogenetic stimulation/silencing to manipulate GABAergic interneurons in the PFC and serotonin release in the dorsal raphe (DR) during the execution of the 2AFC task. Additionally, I will use a mouse model of schizophrenia that is known to exhibit WM deficits to correlate possible alterations in serotonin signaling during cellular-level WM maintenance with WM performance at the behavioral level. This could allow us to understand why many psychiatric treatments are mostly ineffective at improving cognitive abilities and how modulation of the serotonergic system could reverse these effects, ultimately helping to develop new therapeutic treatments.
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 physiology pathophysiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine psychiatry schizophrenia
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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-2019
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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.
NW1 1AT 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.