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Role of the astrocyte-neuron interactions in the regulation of emotions

Unité de Recherche

UPR 3212 - Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (INCI)
5, rue Blaise Pascal, 67084 STRASBOURG

Équipe

Nom : Molecular determinants of pain

Responsable : POISBEAU Pierrick - poisbeau@unistra.fr

Téléphone du responsable : +33 (0)3 68 85 14 76

Site web : Accéder au site

Composition de l'équipe :
- Chercheurs : 6
- ITA : 2
- Doctorants : 5
- Post-Docs : 1
- Autres : 2

Publications majeures de l'équipe relatives au sujet au cours des 3 dernières années (le cas échéant, 3 publications récentes du DT) :
1) Eliava M*, Melchior M*, Knobloch-Bollmann HS*, Wahis J*, da Silva Gouveia M, Tang Y, Ciobanu AC, Triana del Rio R, Roth LC, Althammer F, Chavant V, Goumon Y, Gruber T, Petit-Demoulière N, Busnelli M, Chini B, Tan L, Mitre M, Froemke RC, Chao MV, Giese G, Sprengel R, Kuner R, Poisbeau P, Seeburg PH, Stoop R, Charlet A#, Grinevich V#. (2016). A new population of parvocellular oxytocin neurons controlling magnocellular neuron activity and acute pain processing. Neuron, 89:1-14.
2) Knobloch HS*, Charlet A*, Hoffmann LC, Eliava M, Khrulev S, Cetin AH, Osten P, Schwarz MK, Seeburg PH, Stoop R, Grinevich V (2012). Evoked axonal oxytocin release in the central amygdala attenuates fear response. Neuron. 73(3):553-66
3) Viviani D, Charlet A, van den Burg E, Robinet C, Hurni N, Abatis M, Magara F, Stoop R (2011). Oxytocin selectively gates fear responses through distinct outputs from the central amygdala. Science. 333(6038):104-7

Concernant la thèse

Directeur de Thèse : DARBON Pascal - pdarbon@inci-cnrs.unistra.fr

Téléphone : +33 (0)3 88 45 67 45

Co-encadrant : CHARLET Alexandre

Co-tutelle : non

Co-Directeur : non

Concernant le sujet proposé :

Titre : Role of the astrocyte-neuron interactions in the regulation of emotions

Projet : Neuroscience research has identified the amygdala as a key target nucleus in the brain that is involved in both anxiety and pain feeling. Amygdala is considered as the basis of the autonomous, behavioural and emotional integrated response to pain (Neugebauer, Pain, 2007). It has been shown during past years that oxytocin (OT), a well known hypothalamic neuropeptide, can specifically modulate the intra-amygdala microcircuits (Viviani et al., Science, 2011) after being released by axons from OT neurons arising from paraventricular, supraoptic and accessory nucleus of the hypothalamus (Knobloch et al., Neuron, 2012). However, it is still unknown how precisely OT act at the cellular level. Some evidences point astrocyte as a potential actor in OTergic signalling (Di Scala Gueno et al., Glia, 1994) and recent results obtain in the lab indicate astrocytes as key actor of the oxytocinergic-mediated analgesic and anxiolitic effects (Wahis et al, not published).

The present project aims to address for the first time the effects of endogenous OT in the amygdala on pain sensitivity and anxious states of naive and neuropathic animals and to understand which and how astrocytes are involved in this process. The whole project relies on state of the art viral mediated manipulation - optogetenics, pharmacogenetics - and recording - calcium imaging, electrophysiology - of specific cell types. Behavioral observation will always conclude and validate the latest conclusions obtained in vitro.

The results of this project will contribute to the comprehension of the mechanisms of action of neuropeptides as well as the evaluation of new potent therapeutic target will contribute to the elaboration of new human and veterinary clinical use.

Compétences souhaitées : Relevant degree in neurosciences or a related field, serious interest for neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and high motivation are mandatory.
Strong computer/programming skills as well as experience with electrophysiology patch-clamp and/or calcium imaging will be considered as a serious advantage.

Expertises qui seront acquises au cours de la formation : Electrophysiology patch-clamp on slice, slice calcium imaging, behavior of pain and anxiety.
Article writing, oral communication, project management.