Neural connectivity and animal behaviour

神经连接和动物行为

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03132
• 负责人: Cheng, Ning
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=749609
• 关键词: Neural; connectivity; animal; behaviour

My long-term research program is to understand the interplay between neural circuit connectivity and its ability to govern animal behaviour. The communication among distinct regions of the nervous system, or connectivity, is fundamental to its function. Structural connectivity represents anatomical connections between different regions. Functional connectivity is the temporal dependency of neural activation patterns between distinct regions. Together, they ensure proper behavioural response to the environment. This includes social behaviour, fundamental to the survival of social species. However, the mechanisms of the interaction between neural connectivity and animal behaviour are not well understood. The amygdala and its cortical connections have long been implicated in mediating emotional and social behaviours, as well as their maturation processes during development from adolescence to adulthood. Recent studies have shown that infralimbic cortex (IL) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) connect with each other through direct projections and perturbing these projections affect certain social behaviours. However, the relation between social behaviour development and IL-BLA functional connectivity is largely unknown. In addition, social behaviours are sex-dependent in many species, including mice, yet little is known about the IL-BLA circuit in female animals. In the next 5 years, my objectives are to mechanistically investigate structural and functional IL-BLA connectivity in relation to social behaviour development in both female and male mice. My overarching hypothesis is that IL-BLA connectivity plays a critical role in the differential development and expression of social behaviours between female and male mice. Using a variety of anatomical, genetic, behavioural, and electrophysiological approaches that I have expertise in, my team will pursue the following objectives: Objective 1 will determine development of IL-BLA connectivity in adolescent versus adult C57BL/6J mice, in the social contexts where the subject is exposed to either social odors or social subjects. Objective 2 will determine the relationship between IL-BLA functional connectivity and social behaviours in both juvenile and adult mice, by modulating individual components of this circuit using chemogenetic methods. Objective 3 will determine the effects of social experience, such as social isolation, on the development of IL-BLA connectivity. My NSERC DG program will provide novel insights into the relationship between neural connectivity and social behaviour development in both sexes, and the mechanisms of increased susceptibility to social experience during adolescence.

我的长期研究计划是了解神经回路连接及其控制动物行为的能力之间的相互作用。神经系统不同区域之间的通信或连接性是其功能的基础。结构连接代表不同区域之间的解剖连接。功能连接是不同区域之间神经激活模式的时间依赖性。它们共同确保对环境做出适当的行为反应。这包括社会行为，这是社会物种生存的基础。然而，神经连接与动物行为之间相互作用的机制尚不清楚。杏仁核及其皮质连接长期以来一直与调节情绪和社会行为以及从青春期到成年的发育过程中的成熟过程有关。最近的研究表明，边缘下皮质（IL）和基底外侧杏仁核（BLA）通过直接投射相互连接，扰乱这些投射会影响某些社会行为。然而，社会行为发展与 IL-BLA 功能连接之间的关系在很大程度上尚不清楚。此外，包括小鼠在内的许多物种的社会行为都具有性别依赖性，但我们对雌性动物的 IL-BLA 回路知之甚少。在接下来的 5 年中，我的目标是从机制上研究与雌性和雄性小鼠的社会行为发展相关的结构和功能 IL-BLA 连接。我的首要假设是 IL-BLA 连接在雌性和雄性小鼠之间的社会行为差异发展和表达中发挥着关键作用。使用我所擅长的各种解剖学、遗传、行为和电生理学方法，我的团队将追求以下目标：目标 1 将确定青少年与成年 C57BL/6J 小鼠在暴露于社交气味或社交对象的社交环境中 IL-BLA 连接的发展。 目标 2 将通过使用化学遗传学方法调节该回路的各个组成部分，确定幼年和成年小鼠 IL-BLA 功能连接和社会行为之间的关系。 目标 3 将确定社会经历（例如社会隔离）对 IL-BLA 连接性发展的影响。我的 NSERC DG 项目将为两性的神经连接和社会行为发展之间的关系以及青春期期间对社会经历的敏感性增加的机制提供新颖的见解。