Social behaviour

Investigate tool use, social behaviour and ecological interactions in wild capuchin monkeys. The funded four-year doctoral project combines field research with quantitative analysis and evolutionary questions.

…and immunology to investigate how social behaviour and neural circuits affect responses to pathogen infection. The programme aims to understand brain–body and neuroimmune regulation of physiological functions and whether neural activity can modulate immune responses. The appointment is based at the Wako campus; employment is planned from 1 April 202

Alterations in social behaviour are one of the core deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although it is unclear what the fundamental circuits underlie such deficits, numerous authors have proposed the idea that imbalances in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system could be one of the leading causes. In fact, dopaminergic neurons located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that innervate the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are critical for the creation of reward associations, including social reward. We have previously identified functional dopaminergic alterat

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a crucial role in the control of social behaviour. However, its projections to the medial preoptic area (MPOA) have not been investigated. Our research team has previously shown that ascending inputs to the MPOA increase the extent of social interactions between rats. Therefore, we determined the projection pattern of mPFC neurons projecting to the MPOA and examined their role in social behaviour. Retrogradely transferred adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing Cre recombinase was injected into the MPOA followed by an mPFC injection of an AAV encoding

…and vasopressin, the well-known social hormones.Our aim was to explore the role of UCP2 in social behaviour comparing wild-type (WT) and UCP2 knockout (KO) rats using social discrimination test. As possible background mec

…microbiota on the brain impacting on behaviour and mental health. For example, the absence of gut microbes in experimentally derived germ-free mice results in impaired behaviours including reduced or complete lack of social interactions. Conversely, supplementation of deficient gut microbiota with probiotics and/or specific bacterial strains can restore social function. Despite a surge in such correlative

Internal states flexibly shape social behaviour. Females across species for instance become more receptive during Estrus, more parental during pregnancy, and more aggressive during hunger. While most research has focussed on the behavioural role of individual internal states, animals exhibit multiple states at any given time. How and where the brain integrates combinations of states to shape behaviour remains largely unknown. Here we report that hunger and estrous state together orchestrate a switch to pup-directed aggression in female mice. This behavioural switch results from inhibition of t

What do nonhuman primates know about each other and their social environment, how do they allocate their attention, and what are the functional consequences of social decisions in natural settings? Addressing these questions is crucial to hone in on the co-evolution of cognition, social behaviour and communication, and ultimately the evolution of intelligence in the primate order. I will present results from field experimental and observational studies on free-ranging baboons, which tap into the cognitive abilities of these animals. Baboons are particularly valuable in this context as differen

My lab is focused on how brain encodes and modulates social interactions. Intraspecific social interactions are integral for survival and maintenance of society among all mammalian species. Despite the importance of social interactions, we lack a complete understanding of the brain circuitry involved in processing social behaviour. My lab investigates how the hypothalamic orexin (hypocretin) neurons and their downstream circuits participate in social interaction behaviours. These neurons are located exclusively in the hypothalamus that regulates complex and goal-directed behaviours. We recentl