ERC Starting Grant · 2024
Brainstem circuits supporting adaptive instinctive behaviours
Instinctive behaviours that achieve defence, feeding, aggression and parental care have evolved across animal phyla to ensure survival without the need for learning. Contrary to common belief, instinctive behaviours are not ‘hard-wired’ reflexes, but can be flexible in both action selection and execution. They are modulated by internal states, such as stress, hunger or oestrous cycle, and may undergo short- and long-lasting adaptations in order to accommodate environmental changes and individual needs. The aim of this proposal is to gain a mechanistic understanding of adaptive instinctive behaviour output within a quantitative neuroethological framework and by combining molecular, cellular…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.