Seminare und Veranstaltungen

The insular cortex is a multisensory brain region which is involved in many behaviors, including pain, addiction, social behavior, learning & memory, and feeding/metabolism. To date, the gene expression patterns of the insular cortex have not been systematically studied, but it has generally been assumed to be similar to other cortical areas. However, our data indicates that the insular cortex may have some key transcriptomic differences from other cortical areas, and that these insula-specific genes may have important behavioral functions. To probe this, we conducted single cell sequencing of the insular cortex and compared it to somatosensory cortex. We find that indeed the insular cortex has a distinct transcriptomic makeup compared to somatosensory cortex. We then investigated the function of two insula-specific genes in complex feeding behaviors. Probing the function of these insula-specific cell-types reveals important insights into the functions of the insular cortex vis-a-vis complex motivated behaviors, in particular salience detection and internal state sensing. [mehr]

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When interacting with their environment animals constantly make decisions. These decisions frequently aim at maximizing reward while avoiding negative consequences such as energy costs, pain, or long-term disadvantages. Faced with a choice, animals consider and integrate several parameters such as their internal and behavioral state as well as external stimuli. Often decisions are shaped by prior experiences such as exposure to a given stimulus in a certain condition. But preferences and aversions can be innate, and an instinctive reaction can be essential to secure survival. Nevertheless, even these innate preferences need to be evaluated in a context-dependent manner and hence, context strongly impinges on behavior. While it is generally accepted that context influences behavior, our knowledge of the neural mechanisms of how internal state and external conditions alter ongoing behavior is scarce. The goal of my research is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the neural and molecular basis of context-specific behavior. To this end, my group studies how internal states shape chemosensory processing and behavior. In this talk, I will present two examples of our recent work in the fly on reproductive state-dependent decision making and on the role of need and motivation in foraging behavior. [mehr]

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