Search

Our goal is to decipher how PCP signaling modulates complex synaptic structures underlying our memory abilities. Since the initial description of famous patient HM’s amnesia, it has been indisputably established that functional integrity of the hippocampus is crucial for declarative memory, our capa

The central nervous system (CNS) is equipped with a peripheral network of lymphatic vessels and collecting nodes that ensures homeostasis of cerebral and spinal tissues. We have contributed to studies on CNS lymphatic anatomy and function, especially in assessing their 3D-structure and their role in

This project will tackle the organization of the nervous circuits that control movements. More specifically, it will investigate how the cerebellum and the motor control centers of the brainstem act together to control posture. Postural maintenance and the implementation of harmonious movements r

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disruption is a key event in motor neuron disease. Recent studies have identified axonal mRNAs whose localization is impaired in motor neuron diseases such as SMA and ALS. The goal of this proposal is to develop tools to visualize RNA transport and local translation duri

Tau pathology has been largely involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It is present in hippocampus but also hypothalamus, structures involved in cognition but also regulation of peripheral metabolism, both impaired in AD patients. Since physiological functions of Tau remain lar

The discovery of the antidepressant properties of ketamine has changed our understanding of major depressive disorders and raised high hopes for the development of new fast-acting drugs. Indeed, while classic antidepressants take weeks to act and are often inefficient - with 30% of patients not resp

The pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, despite a tremendous increase in our knowledge, is still not well understood and these prevalent diseases crucially lack effective treatments. To address this hurdle, we aim to investigate a novel, previously unrecognized axis in the pathog

A better insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity is important to our understanding of brain development and functions. Many brain disorders, including degenerative and psychiatric diseases, have been associated with alterations of synaptic connections. On th

Chronic pain is a major health problem with no efficient treatment. Despite our increased understanding of the mechanisms that alter the pain pathway leading to the on-set and maintenance of chronic pain, we are still unable to fully explain inter-individual vulnerability to chronic pain. Several ri

The mature nervous system is an intricate network in which precise connectivity between neurons is critical for the functioning of the system. A key step in the assembly of neuronal circuits lies in the accurate navigation of developing axons towards their correct targets. Imprecise or ectopic conne

Efficient information processing that originate from environment exploration imply that neural circuits must separate overlapping patterns of activity that represent sensory and motor informations. Pattern separation is a central process in which some structures of the brain, like the vertebrate cer

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurotropic, mosquitoe-borne flavivirus ranked in 2018 by the World Health Organization among the seven pathogens of most concern. ZIKV is now endemic in over 80 countries worldwide including France. Until recently, microcephaly in newborns was the most abundantly described ZI

Anxiety disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder afflict a large portion of the world population, with significant personal, financial and societal costs. Most studies have focused on the role of particular brain areas in causing root of psych

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease with currently no disease modifying treatment. A major challenge is to delay the age at onset of the disease and to slow down its progression.Since plasma cholesterol cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier, brain cholesterol synthesis is primari

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the functional absence of FMRP, a protein involved in translational regulation of a subset of synaptic proteins. Our NotifX project aims at exploring novel aspects of its pathophysiology by focusing on two prominent targets of FMRP,

People tend to remember only relevant aspects of life events. Notably, fear experiences, are preserved over time but their spatial details are lost. Where does this contextual information go? Memory consolidation is a gradual process that creates a strongly wired network of brain regions that allows

During development, distinct cell types acquire their properties under the control of transcription factors called cell fate determinants. These factors act on genes necessary for the progression of cell differentiation and this is accompanied by chromatin reorganisation. The acquisition of a specif

Elimination of transient neurons and glial cells is essential for cerebral cortex development. Programmed cell death (PCD) fine-tunes the density of neuronal populations and their targets in the nervous system. Around 25% of overproduced neurons die as they fail to compete for survival signals and t

Sensory perception occurs in the neocortex and results from particular rhythmic states of cortical networks formed by highly diverse excitatory (glutamatergic) and inhibitory (GABAergic) neurons. In particular, oscillations in the gamma-frequency range (30-100 Hz) are pervasive within cortical circu

Long-term molecular and structural changes occurring at synapses in response to neuronal activation provide the mechanistic basis for the establishment and retention of long-lasting memories, and are altered in both developmental and age-related memory disorders. Such changes require new gene expres

We and colleagues recently discovered a new type of neuronal NMDA receptor composed of GluN1 and GluN3A subunits that form excitatory ion channels gated by glycine only (excitatory glycine receptors or eGlyRs). This reshapes our understanding of NMDAR signaling and diversity as well as glycinergic n

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by exacerbated dopaminergic neuronal cell death. Mutations occurring on parkin (PK) lead to autosomal recessive forms of PD. Besides its canonical role as E3-ligase, we documented a novel function of PK as a transcription factor (TF). Thu

Locomotion is a stereotyped behavior used by animals to find food, mates or to escape from predators. As Michel de Montaigne said: ‘life is only movement’. The rhythmic and precise pattern of locomotion is directly linked to the sophisticated architecture of the locomotor system. Its architecture is

Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability and a monogenic cause of autism. This neurodevelopmental disorder results from mutations in the FMR1 gene leading to the lack of expression or abnormal function of the FMRP protein. We demonstrated that FMRP is regulated

Neurobeachin/NBEA is a large, brain-enriched, multi-domain protein, that has been widely conserved during evolution. NBEA was initially identified as a candidate gene for autism, but has since been associated with neurodevelopmental delay and early generalized epilepsy. Many of the 24 cases describe

Throughout recent evolution, the neocortex of primates - and in particular of humans - has undergone a very large size expansion, reflected by an increased production of neuronal cells. This increase is itself directly mirrored, embryonically, by the expansion of a neural stem cell subpopulation, th

Extracellular ATP is both a paracrine signaling molecule and a danger signal in pathological conditions. In the brain ATP is the main glio-transmitter as well as a molecule that shapes inflammation and neuronal hyper excitability, involved in many different pathologies including temporal lobe epilep

Animals and humans navigate efficiently in their environment by taking advantage of salient sensory cues that they previously associated with specific actions. How animals take sensory-informed navigational decisions under variable levels of certainty is still poorly understood. Sensory inputs are t