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Pau Sellés
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Miércoles, 5 de febrero 2025, 13:05
Social interaction problems hinder the ability to connect with new people and can profoundly impact quality of life, limiting both professional and personal opportunities. To reduce these barriers, the Institute of Neurosciences UMH-CSIC has developed a promising approach to find therapeutic solutions for social anxiety and schizophrenia. The team, led by Félix Leroy, could open the door to designing specific medications to treat extreme introversion.
In previous research, Leroy identified a key mechanism in the neural circuits of mice brains: a hormonal signal that regulates the preference for interacting with new individuals. This signal, altered in animal models of schizophrenia, is crucial for fostering healthy social interactions.
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The Cognition and Social Interactions laboratory led by Leroy, located on the Sant Joan d'Alacant campus of UMH, demonstrated in 2023 that the corticotropin-releasing hormone, produced by neurons in the infralimbic cortex—where emotional expression and alertness are regulated, among others—sends a signal to the lateral septum—a region that regulates motivated behaviors such as socialization or the search for food and safety. This process suppresses social interactions with familiar mice.
Leroy explained that he hopes this initiative will be a significant step in providing dedicated and effective solutions for those struggling with social interaction challenges: "I am pleased to receive this support to develop our patent. Translational research is relatively new to me, and I am excited about the opportunity to continue our preclinical research with the aim of developing specific treatments to improve social interactions."
Currently, the researcher is conducting an innovative preclinical trial. His goal is to determine whether the administration of specific compounds, called CRHR1 agonists, can restore the ability to prefer novel interactions in animal models with affected social behaviors. This advancement could pave the way for developing specific medications to treat extreme introversion, a common symptom in various mental disorders.
The new project will allow him to establish collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the creation of therapies that improve the lives of millions affected by disorders related to excessive introspection. The goal of the 'ERC-Proof of Concept' grant call is to enable ideas funded by the ERC to transition from pioneering research to innovation.
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