Project 1: Maternal behaviour is the behaviour of the mother ensuring the well-being and development of her offspring. In order to become maternal, the mother’s brain undergoes remarkable physiological and behavioural changes in the peripartum period to meet the demands of the offspring. These adaptations, which start as complex and direct consequences of hormonal signals arising from the foetus, continue in lactation as a result of close interactions between mother and offspring - the maternal behaviour. Our group is interested in the neurobiological regulation of maternal behaviour in rodents by the brain arginine-vasopressin system and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system with special focus on maternal neglect. We apply such techniques as various behavioural tests, micro-/retrodialysis, osmotic minipumps, viral vector-mediated gene transfer, in situ hybridisation, receptor autoradiography, blood sampling.
Project 2: Positive social relationships are vital for mental and physical health; hence, their sudden disruption result in emotional distress quite often leading to symptoms of depression. Using the animal model of the monogamous prairie vole, which forms selective, enduring pair bonds, we study the behavioural, emotional and neuroendocrine consequences of partner loss (in collaboration with Prof. Larry Young, Emory University, Atlanta, USA). Intriguingly, short separation from the pair-bonded female partner, but not from a male sibling, leads to higher basal plasma corticosterone concentration, adrenal hypertrophy and increased passive stress-coping, which is indicative of depressive-like behaviour. The latter is mediated by an increased activity of the brain corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system, which in turn supresses the oxytocin signalling especially in the nucleus accumbens shell. Our studies aim to further investigate the dysregulation/interactions of the oxytocin and CRF system following loss of the partner not only from the male but also from the female perspective. The experiments will range from short-term to long-term separation with or without reunion of the pairs. A wide variety of up-to-date methods will be applied, from behavioural tests to local intracerebral manipulations (viral vector-mediated gene manipulation, microdialysis, acute and chronic application of receptor (ant-)agonist), as well as epigenetic approaches to electrophysiology.
Grants / Awards
DFG grant (BO 1958/9-2) to study the role of TSPO under acute and chronic stress (part of the Research Group FOR 2858)
2019-2022
DFG grant (BO 1958/8-2) to study the role of the brain CRF-BP in the rodent maternal brain
DFG grant (BO 1958/9-1) to study the role of TSPO in animal models of extremes in anxiety (part of the Research Group FOR 2858)
2017-2021
DFG-funded project "Impact of brain neuropeptides on partner loss-induced depressive-like behaviour in monogamous prairie voles" as part of the graduate school GRK 2174/1 “Neurobiology of Emotion Dysfunctions” (externer Link, öffnet neues Fenster)
2014-2017
DFG grant (BO 1958/8-1) to study the role of the brain corticotropin releasing factor system in maternal neglect in rodents
2011-2014
DFG grant (BO 1958/6-1) to investigate in depth the role of the brain vasopressin system in mediating maternal care in rodents
2008-2010
DAAD Travel grant for collaboration with Dr. Simone Meddle, University of Edinburgh
2003
Armin Ermisch Memorial Award
2000-2001
PhD-Stipend of the University of Regensburg (Promotionsstipendium)