Neuroendocrine Control of Survival Behaviors

Our Goal

We aim to uncover the neurohormonal mechanisms that control survival behaviors, including fear, aggression, and feeding. Our work focuses on how neural circuits integrate internal physiological states, such as hormonal and metabolic signals, to shape behavior. By linking brain-wide neural dynamics to internal state, we seek to understand how behavior is generated under normal conditions and how its dysregulation leads to neuropsychiatric or metabolic disorders. Ultimately, our goal is to define the principles by which neuroendocrine systems control behavior and to identify targets for therapeutic intervention.

Diagram showing how genes, cells, brain activity, and behavior interact in psychiatry, with focus on disorders and recovery.

Our Research

In our lab, we investigate the neurohormonal principles that govern innate and metabolic behaviors by integrating advanced computational approaches with high-dimensional recordings of neural and physiological activity. We combine large-scale electrophysiology, optical imaging, and measurements of neurotransmitters and hormones across in vivo and ex vivo preparations.

Our work focuses on how neural circuits encode and integrate internal states, including hormonal and metabolic signals, to generate adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. Using rodent models, we aim to uncover the mechanisms by which brain-wide networks and neuroendocrine systems interact to shape behavior. In collaboration with clinical partners, our long-term goal is to translate these insights into testable predictions and mechanistic biomarkers in clinical settings.

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Pinpointing Dysregulated Neural Circuits for Targeted Neuropsychiatric Interventions

Uncovering the dysregulated neural circuit mechanisms underlying human pathophysiology is crucial for understanding disorders such as PTSD, generalized anxiety, and metabolic or social dysfunctions. The same neural circuits that drive normal instinctual responses can, when dysregulated, give rise to these pathologies. Notably, their high comorbidity suggests overlapping circuit-level disruptions across clinically distinct conditions. In our research, we aim to pinpoint the critical neural sites of dysregulation and target them with neuromodulatory or pharmacological interventions to mitigate broad pathophysiological phenotypes.

Towards the Discovery of Neurobiological Principles Underlying Instincts

Animals can perform complex motor sequences without any prior experience—referred to as instinctual behavior. These extensive action programs often arise from gene-driven processes. A striking example is the newly hatched iguana (v) that instinctively flees snake-infested terrain, activating prearranged neural circuits moments after first encountering sunlight. Our research aims to identify and map the neural circuit architecture that drives such instinctive responses, with a particular focus on fear-based, social, and homeostatic behaviors.

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Our Team

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