Francesco Papaleo

Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy.

IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi, 10, 16132 Genova, Italy

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Title

Inter-brain circuits of emotion recognition

Abstract

Social interactions imply dynamic and synergic feedback loops in which actions, reactions, and internal cognitive processes of each partner are modulated by the others. Pioneering discoveries show that brains working together, couple together, through interbrain synchrony. However, it is unclear whether interbrain dynamics change in the context of altered emotions, and if they might be causative for driving social interactions.

Combining microendoscopic Ca2+ imaging in the anterior cingulate cortex, area 24, with a behavioral task for emotion recognition in mice, we are finding that somatostatin-expressing (SOM+) neurons synchronize when a mouse interact with a stressed mouse, but not with mice in a neutral state. Conversely, data suggests that pyramidal neuron activity is correlated only among mice in a neutral state. This provides a first indication of cortical inhibitory neurons involvement in social interbrain neural dynamics in the context of altered emotions.

Biosketch

Dr. Francesco Papaleo is a tenured senior researcher, group leader of the Genetics of Cognition laboratory, at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genova, Italy. The goal of our research effort is to investigate the mechanisms underlying social and cognitive processes that are altered in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. To reach this goal, we use a cross-disciplinary approach including detailed studies in genetically modified mice and parallel clinical investigations in humans. We employ a combined approach beginning at the behavioral level and culminating at the cellular and circuit level, integrating multifunctional techniques (e.g. in vivo electrophysiology, in vivo chemogenetics, in vivo optogenetics, in vivo miniendoscopes, in vivo fiber photometry etc.). Dr. Papaleo spearheaded his line of research through previous research experience at the University of Padova (Italy, 1996-2002), University of Bordeaux (France, 2002-2005) and the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda (USA, 2005-2010). Dr. Papaleo laboratory provided the neuroscience community with important findings disentangling new genetic and circuital mechanisms of social and cognitive (dys)functions.