Thesis Defense of Cynthia Rombaut 13/12/2024

Friday 13/12/2024 at 14:00, Salle de thèse n°2  Faculté des Sciences Médicales secteur Timone  Bâtiment principal – Aile bleue – 2ème étage 

Cynthia Rombaut (Equipe SONIC)

Effets de l’environnement social sur les microARNs cérébraux et la vulnérabilité aux maladies psychiatriques

Abstract:
The early social environment is a determining factor in the development of adapted social behaviors and susceptibility to psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Modeling early life adversity through maternal separation protocols opens up the possibility of exploring the biological and behavioral consequences of early neglect. These separations allow for the modulation of the quantity of maternal care received by mice and the evaluation of its consequences in adulthood. Reduced maternal care induces asocial phenotypes in adulthood, characterized by increased aggression, decreased empathy, and heightened susceptibility to developing depression. Conversely, increased maternal care promotes the expression of prosocial behaviors, notably allogrooming, and enhances resilience to depression. In addition to these behavioral changes, the maternal environment is correlated with changes in the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in key brain structures involved in social behavior. This could constitute a key mechanism explaining the long-term effects on social behavior and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders.

Keywords: Early life adversity, social behavior, miRNA, depression, vulnerability