Project Details
Projekt
Investigating the role of centrifugal hypothalamic projections to the olfactory system in feeding behaviour
Applicant
Sophie Steculorum, Ph.D.
Subject Area
Sensory and Behavioural Biology
Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
Term
since 2022
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 466488864
Feeding and olfaction are tightly interconnected. While feeding relies on olfactory-driven behaviour, olfaction is also reciprocally modulated by the nutritional status. Starvation notably enhances olfactory sensitivity and olfactory-driven behaviours to optimize foraging for food. Although the hunger state-dependent regulation of olfaction is a fundamental mechanism conserved across phylae, its underpinning mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we propose to study the specific involvement of long-range centrifugal projections to early and higher olfactory processing centres from the hypothalamus — a pivotal node for feeding regulation — in the modulation of olfaction and feeding behaviour in mice. In particular, we will focus on two main hypothalamic neuronal populations: neurons expressing orexin (OX)- and melanin-concentrating hormones (MCH). Since OX and MCH neurons are (1) activated during starvation, (2) known as pivotal regulators of feeding, and (3) connected to the olfactory system through direct projections to the olfactory bulb and the olfactory cortex, they emerge as ideal candidates to modulate olfactory processing according to the energy state of the organisms. The overarching aim of this innovative proposal is, therefore, to combine my solid background in studying feeding circuits with the specialized expertise in olfaction of RU members to unravel the role of OX and MCH centrifugal projections to the olfactory system at the anatomical, physiological and behavioural levels. In TP4, we propose to employ a complementary set of approaches including chemogenetics, optogenetics and two-photon calcium imaging in concert with feeding and olfactory behavioural tests with the intent to provide novel mechanistic insights into the hunger state-dependent regulation of olfaction and its effect on feeding behaviour.
DFG Programme
Research Units
