INCIA UMR 5287 - IMN UMR 5293 Collaborative INCa-Iresp Grant/
STEPHANIE CAILLE-GARNIER
Stéphanie Caillé-Garnier (CRN, Addicteam) and Karine Guillem (CRN, team “Prise de décision pathologique”, IMN) have been awarded a collaborative research grant from Institut National du Cancer – Iresp, in the context of the call “Research program and interventions to reduce and fight against tobacco consumption”.
The project, entitled “Specific cholinergic inputs shape distinct prefrontal neuronal processes to balance cognitive performances involved in vulnerability to nicotine addictive properties” will support the development of in vivo optogenetics and electrophysiology in behaving mice exposed to nicotine. Here’s a summary of their planned collaborative research:
Nicotine is one of the main chemicals of tobacco products responsible for its addictive properties. In addition to its reinforcing effects, nicotine also improves attention in both humans and animals, a psychoactive property that may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of its use. Recently, Addicteam has highlighted the importance of cognitive processes as risk factors for vulnerability to nicotine addiction (Vandaele et al, 2018). It is in this context that we propose a research project aimed at identifying the neuronal processes of cognitive functions in the specific subpopulation of individuals vulnerable to the development of nicotine addiction. For this, we propose to use multilevel causal approaches, combining a high performing animal model with advanced electrophysiological and optogenetic techniques for recording and manipulating brain activity. From a public health perspective, the objectives of this project will provide key elements for the development of a biomarker of the predisposition to nicotine addiction and a new treatment strategy for addiction to nicotine based on a cognitive therapy of the "gain of control" type.
Left : Karine Guillem
Right : Stephanie Caillé-Garnier