CEREBELLARCODE · Cerebellar mechanisms for governing goal-directed and social behaviours
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-03-01 → 2023-02-28
- EU contribution
- €224,934
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
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Results in brief
Cerebellar mechanisms for governing goal-directed and social behaviours
Understanding how neural circuits drive behavior is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. The cerebellar cortex is an ideal brain region for investigating this problem due to its so-called simple structure: a three-layer structure and canonical connectivity motif between a relatively small number of cell types. While traditionally considered crucial for motor learning and performance, emerging evidence suggests that the cerebellum also plays a key role in higher-order processing, particularly in reward processing and social interaction. In humans, cerebellar dysfunction has been associated with both motor deficits and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by impaired social behavior and reward processing. The main objective of this project was to identify activity-based "fingerprints" of different cerebellar cell types to establish a causal relationship between cell types and their roles in both motor and non-motor functional domains. The project had four specific aims: (1) to develop a classifier for identifying cerebellar cell types based on their neural firing patterns, (2) to reveal the role of different cerebellar cell types in goal-directed behavior, (3) to investigate the role of different cerebellar cell types in social behavior, and (4) to compare the engagement of cerebellar circuits in animal models of ASD and wildtype mice during social behavior. By achieving these aims, the project aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the cerebellum's role in various behaviors, including social behavior and ASD.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
One of the fundamental goals of neuroscience is to understand how the organization and the dynamics of the neural circuits underly their ability to drive adaptive behaviour. The cerebellar cortex provides a unique system to define such structure-function relationships due to its accessibility, well-defined architecture, and involvement in pervasive brain disorders as autism. Recent evidence suggests that the cerebellum may generate predictions to facilitate a variety of motor and non-motor behaviours, including cognitive processes. The question is how such a diversity of function emerges from such a homogenous structure. The aim of this project is to characterize the activity of the different cerebellar neurons during a wide range of states to underly their shared and diverging roles in different behavioural paradigms. First, I aim to develop a machine-learning based classifier for identifying cerebellar cell types from Neuropixels recordings. Then, I will use the classifier to characterize the activity of different cerebellar neurons in reward prediction and social interaction tasks. A direct projection from the deep cerebellar nuclei to the ventral tegmental area is believed to modulate both reward circuity and social interaction. However, the cerebellar mechanism underlying these two behaviours is unknown. I will measure and compare the activity of identified classes of cerebellar neurons in these behaviours. Finally, since autism is characterized by having both impaired social behaviour and impaired reward processing, I will also record from autism model mice in the social task. Understanding the computations implemented by the cerebellum in a variety of behavioural states will reveal general principles about how neurons process information and underlie brain function in ‘normal’ vs. pathological conditions.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON · LondonCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union