Project Grant 2303305

This $339,664 National Science Foundation project grant supports research into the neural mechanisms of generalization in the ventral hippocampus at the University of Iowa. The goal is to determine how distinct cell types in the ventral hippocampus modulate selective versus generalized emotional responses. Investigators will combine in vivo single-unit recording, local field potential recording, chemogenetic silencing/activation, optogenetic circuit analysis, and in vitro patch clamping techniques. Key questions include how ventral hippocampal cell subpopulations respond and synchronize with target regions during discrimination and generalization, the role of different projection cells and how ventral representations change when subpopulations are selectively activated or inhibited, and the computational and synaptic properties of projection cells. Understanding how the brain produces fine calibration of generalization processes has implications for survival and conditions involving inappropriate fear expression like phobias and PTSD. This award supports the NSF's Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to promote progress in the biological sciences and strengthen the scientific enterprise through increased knowledge and understanding of major problems.