PRIN ANNO 2017 FATTORE (DSB.AD004.239)

Thematic area

Biomedical sciences

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Institute of neuroscience (IN)

Project manager

LIANA FATTORE
Phone number: 0706754327
Email: liana.fattore@cnr.it

Abstract

Environmental factors and early socio-emotional experiences are crucial for the development of the individual as they affect behaviour and influence neurochemical and neuroendocrine substrates. Evidence suggests that adequate social stimuli during the early stages of postnatal life are crucial for developing appropriate socio-emotional and cognitive skills, while adverse social experiences negatively affect proper development of brain and behaviour, increasing, for instance, the susceptibility to develop psychiatric conditions characterized by aberrant reward processing, such as addiction and eating disorders. This project verifies that social impoverishment during early development increases the risk to develop maladaptive changes of the brain reward system leading to enhanced vulnerability to drug addiction, affective and eating disorders. In contrast, appropriate maternal care and environmental enrichment should contribute to develop resilience towards these disturbances. A corollary to this overarching hypothesis is that the expression of these diseases is linked to dysregulation (i.e. reduction) of the endocannabinoid (eCB) function in the cortico-mesolimbic reward circuitry.

Goals

This project will use behavioural, pharmacological, biochemical, electrophysiological, molecular and epigenetic approaches to study the role of the eCB system in natural and drug reward processing following either adverse or positive social experiences in the early stages of life. Using animals of both sexes exposed to social enrichment or social impoverishment in the early stages of development, the present project will explore:
-the consequences of early social enrichment and social impoverishment on neuronal plasticity and on the reward mechanisms linked to natural (palatable food, social play) and artificial (alcohol) stimuli;
-the effect of the modulation of the endocannabinoid system on natural and drug reward processing;
-the biochemical, electrophysiological, molecular and epigenetic alterations of the eCB system and other neuromodulators involved in the control of natural and drug reward-related processes. Behavioural data and related biochemical, electrophysiological, pharmacological, molecular and epigenetic correlates will help to define the role of the eCB system in modulating the effects of different social experiences on reward perception.

Start date of activity

29/08/2019

Keywords

arricchimento e isolamento sociale, stress post natale, sistema endocannabinoide tress post natale

Last update: 18/06/2025