Brain circuitry in the regulation of social behaviour in mice

调节小鼠社会行为的大脑回路

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-05208
• 负责人: Cloutier, JeanFrancois
• 金额: $ 2.48万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=711249
• 关键词: Brain; circuitry; regulation; social; behaviour

Cognition in humans relies on the formation of a precise array of connections in our brains during development. A subset of these connections in our sensory systems, such as the olfactory systems, allows us to gather information and react to stimuli in our environment. While our sensory systems allow us to enjoy food or the smell of a beautiful garden of roses, we do not rely on them to survive and reproduce. In contrast to humans, many animals are dependent on their ability to detect chemical compounds, often termed pheromones, to regulate their social and sexual behaviour as well as to help them detect predators in their environment. These behaviors are innate and rely on the detection of these signals by the accessory olfactory system. We can learn a lot about the relationship that exists between the formation of brain circuitry and behavior by studying the mechanisms that regulate the formation of connections between nerve cells in the relatively simple neuronal circuit of the accessory olfactory system of the mouse. My laboratory's research program focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the formation of circuitry in this system and how this circuitry regulates social behavior in mice.

人类的认知依赖于在发育过程中我们大脑中一系列精确连接的形成。我们感觉系统中的这些连接的子集，例如嗅觉系统，使我们能够收集信息并对环境中的刺激做出反应。虽然我们的感官系统允许我们享受食物或美丽的玫瑰花园的气味，但我们并不依赖它们来生存和繁殖。与人类相反，许多动物依赖于它们检测化学化合物（通常称为信息素）的能力来调节它们的社会和性行为，以及帮助它们检测环境中的捕食者。这些行为是天生的，依赖于辅助嗅觉系统对这些信号的检测。我们可以通过研究调节小鼠辅助嗅觉系统相对简单的神经元回路中神经细胞之间连接形成的机制，了解大脑回路形成与行为之间的关系。我的实验室的研究计划侧重于了解调节该系统中电路形成的基本机制，以及该电路如何调节小鼠的社会行为。