Time: 14:00-15:30 on Tue.,Mar.21, 2023

Venue：E109, Biomedicine Hall

Speaker: Dr.Jingning Zhu

Host: Dr.Mu Zhou

Title:  A role for the cerebellum in motor-triggered alleviation of anxiety

Abstract：

Physical exercise is known to reduce anxiety, but the underlying brain mechanisms remain unclear. Here we explore a novel hypothalamo-cerebello-amygdalar circuit that mediates motor-dependent alleviation of anxiety. This three-neuron loop, in which the cerebellar dentate nucleus takes center stage, bridges the motor with the emotional system. Subjecting animals to a constant rotarod engages glutamatergic cerebellar dentate neurons that drive PKCδ+ amygdalar neurons to elicit an anxiolytic effect. Moreover, challenging animals on an accelerated rather than a constant rotarod engages hypothalamic neurons that provide a superimposed anxiolytic effect via an orexinergic projection to the dentate neurons that activate the amygdala. Our findings reveal a neural substrate for direct and fast motor-emotional integration and interaction, and highlight the potential use of challenging strategies to optimize exercise therapy and neuromodulation targeting the cerebellum for the treatment of mood disorders.

Biography：

朱景宁，南京大学生命科学学院教授、副院长，医药生物技术国家重点实验室固定PI。主要研究方向为运动控制及运动疾病和情绪障碍的神经机制与防治策略。主持科技创新2030“脑科学与类脑研究”重大项目课题、国家自然科学基金重点项目、NSFC/RGC联合资助项目、教育部新世纪优秀人才支持计划和江苏省杰出青年基金等。发表SCI论文40余篇，见于Neuron、Journal of Clinical Investigation、PNAS、Molecular Psychiatry、Science Advances、Current Biology和Journal of Neuroscience等一流学术期刊。兼任国际小脑与共济失调研究学会（SRCA）International Delegate，中国生理学会常务理事，中国神经科学学会理事，江苏省生理科学学会理事长，江苏省神经科学学会常务理事，全国科学技术名词审定委员会第二届生理学名词审定委员会委员，《Cerebellum》副主编、《Journal of Physiology》评审编委、《Neuroscience Bulletin》编委、《Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Integrative》编委和《生理学报》常务编委。