Active resilience mechanisms of dopamine midbrain neurons (A01)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 264810226

A01 aims at understanding the molecular mechanisms of maintaining the firing frequencies and patterns in dopaminergic (DA) VTA (ventral tegmental area) neurons, an established resilience mechanism after exposure to chronic social defeat (CSD). Therefore, A01 (i) identifies the involved DA VTA neuronal subtypes, (ii) identifies and characterizes voltage gated potassium channels (K channels) responsible for the maintenance of firing rates, (iii) tests a causal chain between mTOR-dependent changes in protein synthesis after CSD, K channel up-regulation, recovery of normal VTA dopamine neuron excitability and resilient outcome.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1193: Neurobiology of Resilience to stress-related mental dysfunction: from understanding mechanisms to promoting prevention
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Co-Applicant Institution: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Jochen Roeper; Professorin Dr. Susann Schweiger