Project Details
Projekt
Dissection and optogenetic manipulation of the Habenula-IPN cell-specific neuronal networks in the control of pain and addiction
Applicant
Dr. Andreas Görlich
Subject Area
Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
Term
from 2012 to 2015
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 233979395
The habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (Hb-IPN) pathway is an emerging, poorly characterized limbic- midbrain relay structure that regulates cholinergic and opioidergic transmission and influences both the serotonergic and the dopaminergic systems. Because of its influence on multiple neurotransmitter systems, manipulation of the Hb affects very diverse behaviors including nicotine addiction, pain and stress perception, anxiety, locomotion, and negative reward (Frahm et al., 2011; Hikosaka, 2010). The Ibanez-Tallon laboratory has recently identified three novel neuronal populations in addition to the two classical cholinergic (ChAT) and peptidergic (Substance P) habenular populations. The present research proposal aims at identifying causal relationships between the activity of these single neuronal populations by taking advantage of recently developed transgenic reporter mouse lines for intersectional and Cre-dependent viral studies that will be used for delivery of optogenetic vectors, electrophysiological recordings and neuroimaging. Emphasis will be drawn on nicotine addiction and withdrawal, for which the Ibanez-Tallon research group has already identified two specific populations, one in habenula and one in the IPN. Extension to pain processing will be performed by characterization of the synaptic microcircuitry at different levels of network complexity, one from Substance P releasing terminals onto IPN neurons and the second mediated by opioid receptor activation in the Hb. Specifically, the optogenetic studies proposed here will manipulate neuronal activity in defined neuronal populations in the Hb and IPN and will be used as the base for complementary in vivo behavioral studies to generate defined outputs related to nicotine addiction and pain perception.
DFG Programme
Research Fellowships
International Connection
USA
Participating Institution
Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin (MDC)
Participating Person
Professor Dr. Nathaniel Heintz
