Sabine Krabbe will investigate how neurotransmitters influence the brain and mental health
Bonn/Germany, December 9, 2024. DZNE scientist Dr. Sabine Krabbe is receiving around two million euros to study how the brain changes due to stress and fear – and how it learns to deal with such emotions. The European Research Council is providing these funds as part of a prestigious “Consolidator Grant”. Her research project focuses on chemicals of the brain that influence the connectivity of neurons and regulate behavior in situations of fear and anxiety. The neuroscientist hopes that these studies, which will be done on mice, will provide new insights into fundamental brain processes and the development of psychiatric disorders.
“Our ability to learn from challenges or threats has been essential for survival during evolution and is still very relevant for our daily lives. However, if these learning processes are disrupted, it can lead to anxiety disorders,” says Sabine Krabbe. “We therefore want to investigate how the brain learns to deal with stress- and fearful situations and how behavior develops from this.” Specifically, the aim is to determine how specific neurotransmitters, known as neuropeptides, influence the brain and thereby control adaptive, emotionally influenced reactions. “Processes like these are of great significance for mental health. Our findings could not only deepen our understanding of how the brain works, but also open new avenues for developing treatments for anxiety and related conditions,” says Krabbe.
Focus on the emotion center
Krabbe and her team will examine these neurological phenomena in mice. The research project is scheduled for five years and combines extensive behavioral experiments with state-of-the-art microscopy techniques that enable the observation of individual brain cells. As in other projects of her research group, the focus is on the “amygdala”: a brain region that plays a crucial role in controlling emotions and resulting behavior. “The amygdala has a similar structure and function in all mammals. I am hoping that our observations in mice will reveal universal principles about how the brain protects us from stress and fear,” says Krabbe.
On the trail of neuropeptides
Neuropeptides are small proteins and are among the numerous “neurotransmitters” that relay signals within the brain. “In the brain’s networks, there is constant interplay. Some transmitters quickly boost neuronal activity, while others have an immediate inhibitory effect. Neuropeptides fit in neither of these categories – they can slowly modulate neurons,” says Krabbe. “You can think of it like this: In contrast to signaling a simple ‘run’ or ‘stop’ to other neurons, neuropeptides can add graded instructions – for example ‘power walk while looking to your right’. Furthermore, neuropeptides can act over long timescales, which means that they may influence our brain over hours, days or weeks. In this way, neuropeptides can modulate vital states such as fear, aggression or hunger over long periods of time. Therefore, they are central to our behavior and well-being.”
The adaptive brain
The findings of the forthcoming research project may also be significant in terms of Alzheimer’s disease, as neuropeptides play a key role for “neuroplasticity”. This term describes the brain’s ability to adapt, particularly its capacity to interconnect neurons. By means of these couplings, the brain can change, learn from experiences and generate memories. In dementia this ability is impaired. “The brain processes we are looking at are so fundamental that insights could arise for many areas,” says Krabbe.
About Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, DZNE (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases): DZNE is one of the world’s leading research centers for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS, which are associated with dementia, movement disorders and other serious health impairments. These diseases place an enormous burden on patients and their families, but also on society and the economy of healthcare. DZNE contributes significantly to the development and translation into practice of novel strategies for prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment. DZNE comprises ten sites across Germany and collaborates with universities, university hospitals, research centers and other institutions in Germany and throughout the world. DZNE is state-funded and a member of the Helmholtz Association and of the German Centers for Health Research.