Defective interactions of basal ganglia, locus coeruleus, and midbrain circuits for defensive behavior: a model for freezing of gait in PD? (B06)

• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424778381

This project pursues three major aims: 1) to characterize the neuroarchitecture and function of the dopaminergic substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections onto periaqueductal gray (PAG) defense circuits; 2) to validate a cell-type and projection-specific viral model of synucleinopathy within SNc/LC/PAG circuits, and to understand its effects on motor- and anxiety-related behavior; 3) to probe the effects of acute and chronic optogenetic subthalamic nucleus stimulation on the characterized function of SNc/LC/PAG circuitry.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 295: Retuning dynamic motor network disorders using neuromodulation
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Philip Tovote