Mathieu Wolff, from team DECAD, was awarded a 100k$ independent investigator grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (formerly NARSAD, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression).
The proposed work aims to elucidate the functional contribution of thalamic dysfunctions in the cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The reuniens thalamic nucleus will be central in this project, due to its specific connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. In particular, the effect of chronic activation/inactivation of this structure will be examined in the Rat with a range of electrophysiological, chemogenetic and behavioural techniques.
Check on the Brain&Behavior Research Foundation website
Thalamic Determinants of Schizophrenia Pathophysiology
“Mathieu Wolff, Ph.D., University of Bordeaux, France, will investigate brain areas possibly involved in generating cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, which are not sufficiently relieved by current treatment options. Dr. Wolff will focus on the brain’s medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The team will interfere with cells that connect to those regions and then test for any resulting changes in the activity of both brain regions. They will also test for any resulting cognitive impairment and try to reverse the disruption to the target group of cells. Their findings will help determine the role, and potential therapeutic value, of these cells in schizophrenia.”