| Grant number: | 15/50371-0 |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |
| Start date: | May 01, 2016 |
| End date: | April 30, 2018 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology |
| Agreement: | Scripps Research Institute |
| Principal Investigator: | Fabio Papes |
| Grantee: | Fabio Papes |
| Principal researcher abroad: | Lisa Stowers |
| Institution abroad: | Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, United States |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
Accurately sensing and interpreting social cues is critical to trigger appropriate behavior. It is known that previous social experiences change interpretation of sensory cues from the environment and alter subsequent behavior, either by the influence of memory or by the action of hormones which modulate specific brain networks. Sensory perception and behavioral output in response to social experience fail to occur normally in autistic and schizophrenia patients, yet there is little mechanistic understanding of the function and dysfunction behind this phenomenon. We propose to identify how the molecular mechanisms that translate sensory information into behavior are altered by experience. Specifically, we will study differences in sensory responsivity and neural processing between bachelor male mice that commit infanticide and males that exhibit nurturing parental behavior after social bonding with females. Our preliminary data show that this occurs not in deep brain circuits, but by the direct action of a neuropeptide hormone on olfactory sensory neurons. This hormone silences the detection of sensory cues that trigger infanticide and thereby allow the display of parental behavior. Such mechanism redefines the functional purpose of sensory neurons, from simple external sensors to key integrators and processors of both external and internal stimuli. Our results will enable future study of function and dysfunction of experience on behavior. The study of neural mechanisms of behavior is a systems level question that has proven too difficult for a single research group to tackle. Study of this neglected area by the unique experience and focus of both collaborative groups will ensure the project’s successful completion. (AU)
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