Many animal studies use the hypothesised mechanistic aspects of a disease as a starting point, often only optimizing for the establishment of a single cause and treatment. However, for complex conditions such as MS and ASD, this approach disregards the diversity of causes and responses, which also occur naturally in animal models. It further ignores relevant human readouts and multifaceted correlates of disorders.
In this project, the doctoral candidate uses existing knowledge on brain features across scales of measurement in patients to extract relevant information from healthy rats, building a multiscale base of knowledge that will inform new, translational animal models and experiments for MS and ASD. Specifically, the aim is to test variations in cognitive behaviour in healthy rats, through set-shifting tasks that have high translational value, specifically for the impulsivity and loss of cognitive control often encountered in ASD and MS.
The goal is to improve our multiscale understanding of the brain features that relate to these behavioural variations, since measuring across scales is impossible in patients. Therefore, the DC uses immunohistochemistry, miniscopes and functional magnetic resonance imaging to establish patterns of cellular features, neural activity and whole-brain connectivity associated with MS and ASD.
By measuring behaviour, microscale brain activity and macroscale brain connectivity, and finding new ways to link data from these different these scales in a relevant way, this project at AUMC will allow for an enrichment of rat models for the investigation of MS and ASD.
Emma Saxton
In this project, I aim to integrate macro-, meso-, and micro-levels to better understand how brain organization relates to cognitive variation, while also improving translational models for more human-relevant readouts. I was drawn to this network for many reasons; I want to help build models that better reflect patient diversity and it aligns with my interest in how neural dynamics scale to cognition and behavior. Additionally I really valued the collaborative, team-based environment and transdisciplinary focus, where I have the opportunity to learn from and engage in experiences not in my immediate research focus. I believe this will not only broaden my perspective but also help me connect my work to the broader goals of the TRANSCEND network.
