METHA · Functional interaction between a prefrontal and a thalamic nucleus for the consolidation of spatial memories
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-04-01 → 2022-03-31
- EU contribution
- €196,708
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
Functional interaction between a prefrontal and a thalamic nucleus for the consolidation of spatial memories
Memory consolidation, the process by which memories become stronger over time, is still poorly understood. Much of what we know of this process involves mainly the hippocampus and the cortex. However, the thalamus, a region known to relay information to the cortex has started to become another important player in the memory consolidation process. In this project, we explored a cortico-thalamic circuit connecting the Laterodorsal Thalamus (LD) and the Retrosplenial Cortex (RSC), two areas of the brain that are believed to be involved in processing spatial information and that only recently have been proposed to play a role memory consolidation. Notably, both regions are part of the head direction cell system, meaning that neurons of these areas fire at specific orientations of the mouse head during exploration. Then our overall objective was to study RSC to LD projections, a previously unexplored neural pathway for the recall of memory, and also to better describe the function of the Laterodorsal Thalamus and its contribution to spatial navigation and memory.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Memory consolidation is the process by which memories are converted into a long-lasting form allowing its recall later in time. It has been shown that memory consolidation is supported by the coordinated activation of a network of brain regions. In this regard, the hippocampus-cortical communication has been largely studied. Recent evidences point to the thalamus as a key region mediating this dialogue. In particular, the Laterodorsal Nucleus of the Thalamus (LD) activity has been shown to be essential for remote memory recall. Moreover, the LD shows high anatomical and functional connectivity with the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) which is a key structure for consolidation and remote memory recall. These data suggest that this LD-ACC pathway may be crucial during memory consolidation. The LD is known to harbor Head Direction (HD) cells which are neurons that fire to specific orientations of the animal head. Therefore, we hypothesized that the activity of the LD-ACC circuit represents spatial information that is required for recall of contextual fear memory. The present project was designed to test this hypothesis using a multi-level approach, that is unique in the field. First, we will address the causal role of the LD-ACC pathway in the recall of fear memory, by modulating its activity using optogenetics. Then we will investigate how LD cells, and LD-ACC projecting cells, are processing acquired information during the training to consolidate and recall them at a remote time point by directly visualizing the activity of the LD during acquisition and recall of contextual conditioned fear. The expected results will have a significant impact in the memory and in the spatial navigation field, and are of key importance to better understand memory and related pathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder and dementia.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- ECOLE SUPERIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DECHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DEPARIS · ParisCoordinatorFrance
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union