Characterization of neural microcircuitry responsible for carbohydrates compulsions

• Grant number: 13/09405-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: August 05, 2013
• End date: August 04, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Physiological Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Tatiana Lima Ferreira
• Grantee: Tatiana Lima Ferreira
• Host Investigator: Ivan Eid Tavares de Araujo
• Host Institution: Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Yale University, United States

Abstract

Obesity is considered a major public health problem in many countries, including Brazil. Many cases of obesity are due compulsive feed behavior and high carbohydrate intake. Recent studies show that the high carbohydrate intake induced dopamine release into the striatum, involving a specific neural circuitry including the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia and midbrain dopaminergic nuclei, responsible for executive function, actions/habits, and motivational/emotional reactions, respectively. The purpose of this study is to characterize the neural systems that mediates habits/food cravings through a combination of behavioral, neurochemical and molecular techniques. More precisely, we will use the viral expression of Cre-dependent ion channels sensitive to light ("optogenetic"), to manipulate in vivo the two pathways in the dorsolateral striatum that are regulated by dopamine receptors D1 and D2 types. Specifically, we will test the hypothesis that excessive calories consumption eliciates an imbalance between efferent direct (excitatory) and indirect (inhibitory) pathways in favor of the former, resulting in uncontrolled manifestation of ingestive behaviors and food compulsions. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HAN, WENFEI; TELLEZ, LUIS A.; NIU, JINGJING; MEDINA, SARA; FERREIRA, TATIANA L.; ZHANG, XIAOBING; SU, JIANSHENG; TONG, JENNY; SCHWARTZ, GARY J.; VAN DEN POL, ANTHONY; et al. Striatal Dopamine Links Gastrointestinal Rerouting to Altered Sweet Appetite. Cell Metabolism, v. 23, n. 1, p. 103-112, JAN 12 2016. (13/09405-3)

TELLEZ, LUIS A.; HAN, WENFEI; ZHANG, XIAOBING; FERREIRA, TATIANA L.; PEREZ, ISAAC O.; SHAMMAH-LAGNADO, SARA J.; VAN DEN POL, ANTHONY N.; DE ARAUJO, IVAN E.. Separate circuitries encode the hedonic and nutritional values of sugar. NATURE NEUROSCIENCE, v. 19, n. 3, p. 465+, MAR 2016. (13/09405-3)