Mechanisms of neural circuit sensitivity to altered nutritional status (FoodCircus)

The general objective of FoodCircus is to unravel the mechanisms by which environmental and genetic factors affect behavioral phenotypes/dimensions with symptomatic relevance for neurological and psychiatric disorders. A main interest concerns the developmental influence of nutritional status - such as diet-induced obesity, unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin A deficiencies - which has been consistently linked with the etiology of several brain disorders.

We also develop a line of research aiming at dissecting the mechanisms linking genetic polymorphisms associated with several neurodevelopmental disorders, with discrete behavioral alterations relevant for the symptomatology of psychiatric diseases.

Furthermore, FoodCircus is involved in transdisciplinary projects aiming at developing new tools to observe and manipulate discrete neurobiological processes.

The investigators of FoodCircus aim at identifying the underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms within discrete neuronal circuits of two main vulnerable brain systems: the hippocampal and fronto-striatal circuits which control cognitive processes such as mnemonic and executive functions.

Our specific aims are:

i) To elucidate the neuronal mechanisms by which obesogenic diet impairs hippocampal-dependent memory, with an emphasis on sex differences.

ii) To identify the mechanisms by which genetic and nutritional (polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin A biostatus) factors impact the development of mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuits and the consequences on executive functions.

iii) To develop innovative neurotechnologies for the dynamic detection of neurotransmitters, as well as intracerebral drug delivery.

The perspectives of projects are to identify targetable factors for the alleviation or prevention of specific symptomatic dimensions of brain disorders.