SBF 1436/1 - A07 „Molekulare und zelluläre Determinanten neuronaler Ressourcen – Orexinerge Modulation neuronaler Ressourcen“

Wir eruieren das Potenzial orexinerger Neuromodulation und der Aktivierung des Wachsamkeitsystems zur Mobilisierung neuronale Ressourcen durch Stimulierung der Interaktion von präfrontalem Kortex und Hippokampus und der Erhöhung neuronaler Plastizität im Hippocampus. Die zugrundeliegenden neuronalen Prozesse werden mittels Verhaltens-, pharmakologische und viralen Interventionen untersucht. In Verbindung mit anderen CRC-Projekten erwarten wir dadurch Einblicke in neuronale Schaltkreise und zelluläre Mechanismen, die dem Abbau kognitiver Fähigkeiten entgegen wirken können.

Orexinergic neurons are potent mediators of circadian fluctuation in cognitive function. In the proposed
project, we aim to explore the potential of orexinergic neuromodulation and the associated wakefulness
promoting system to mobilise neural resources by stimulating prefrontal cortex (PFC)-tohippocampus
signalling and to build up resources through increasing neural plasticity in the hippocampus.
We will impose circadian disturbances together with pharmacological and viral interventions
to dissect the circuit mechanisms that underlie the circadian neuromodulation of memory formation,
pattern recognition and cognitive flexibility. Engram labelling, slice physiology and molecular analysis
will be utilised to determine the cellular mechanisms of resource formation within hippocampal microcircuits.
Our project will closely connect with other CRC projects that target cellular and circuit mechanism
of resource management and ultimately aims to investigate the potential of orexinergic modulation
for the mobilisation of cognitive reserve beyond circadian modulation. Thus, the interactive approach
within the CRC will provide fundamental insights into neuronal circuits and cellular mechanism
that may be utilised to battle cognitive decline, e.g. during ageing