The main objective of the team is to understand the link between synapse and cognition by investigating the consequence of genetically encoded cognitive deficits at the synaptic level. Our recent results shows that several MR mouse models exhibit functional synaptic deficits at cortical projections to the lateral amygdala, a structure involved in the coding of fear memory.
We will examine the role of MR proteins in the process of memory formation by analyzing biochemical, morphological and physiological changes of cortico-LA synapses in mice submitted to fear conditioning.
Ex vivo experiments will be completed by an in vitro approach on genetically manipulated cultured neurons, to allow an ideal control of MR-gene expression and the use of imaging of living synaptic contacts at the nanometer scale and single molecule tracking of various synaptic receptors.
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