The sixth session of the NeuroSeS (Translation Neuroscience) lunch meetings, took place on 14 January and was attended by 50 people.
The discussion was about the theme “Goal-directed behaviour in health and disease” presented by medical researcher Bruno Miranda
The following points stood out:
- Our brain contains a complex neuronal network responsible for controlling the behaviour directed towards a goal - "goal-directed behaviour", required in most of the daily activities of individuals. When this control is disturbed, social and/or motor behaviour is severely affected. Recent advances in computational sciences and basic neurosciences have allowed a better understanding of the mechanisms inherent to this process.
- Several neuropsychiatric conditions (symptoms or clinical syndromes) have been presented, and they can be framed in the new theories of learning and decision-making. Since some of the theoretical bases already have good animal models, the translation of this approach into clinical populations becomes crucial and potentially useful to deepen pathophysiology or new therapeutic targets.
- There was consensus on the importance of articulation between clinicians and basic neurosciences groups.
The discussion was greatly enriched by the different doctors and researchers who were present, including researchers from fundamental sciences and from different clinical areas, clinicians from the area of neurosciences and oncology, and students from various academic levels.
Bruno Miranda, MD, Ph.D. (Neurologist)
Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon
Additional information sources:
- Dolan RJ, Dayan P. Goals and habits in the brain. Neuron. 2013; 80 (2): 312-25.
- Balleine BW, O’Doherty JP. Human and rodent homologies in action control: corticostriatal determinants of goal-directed and habitual action. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010; 35(1): 48-69.
- Maia TV, Frank MJ. From reinforcement learning models to psychiatric and neurological disorders. Nat Neurosci. 2011; 14(2): 154-62.
The organization of these meetings is the responsibility of Luísa Lopes and Cláudia Faria and has the support of Roche.
Balleine BW, O’Doherty JP. Human and rodent homologies in action control: corticostriatal determinants of goal-directed and habitual action. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010; 35(1): 48-69.
Maia TV, Frank MJ. From reinforcement learning models to psychiatric and neurological disorders. Nat Neurosci. 2011; 14(2): 154-62.