Christoph Renninger

Full member: November 2010 - October 2013

Dissertation title: Title: Monoaminergic innervation and receptor expression of identified neurons in limbic regions of genetically modified rodent models for emotional dysregulation: development and plasticity.
Abstract: The amygdala is probably the brain structure most implicated in emotional processing. Neuroanatomically, the amygdala comprises several subnuclei which have been grouped into cytoarchitectonic and functional units. Two of these units have been particulary implicated in the processing of affective stimuli, the central nucleus and the basolateral amygdala.
Especially stress, fear and anxiety induced changes are mediated by this brain region.
Neuropeptides e.g. corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) or neuropeptide Y (NPY) can mediate the output and have anxiolytic or anxiogenic functions. Targets of theses modulations are monoaminergic afferents and especially the dopaminergic and the serotonergic system appear to play a crucial role.
One objective of the project is to investigate the interactions between the peptidergic and the monoaminergic system and the analysis of receptor expression on identified neurons. 

Principal investigator:

Prof. Dr. Esther Asan

Current position:

Schattauer GmbH, Verlag für Medizin und Naturwissenschaften, Stuttgart