Group leader of the NERB team CNRS/Paris Brain Institute

Translational approach to investigate the neurofunctional bases of normal and pathological repetitive behaviours.

Repetitive behaviors are acquired through practice and, under normal conditions, allow motor or cognitive processes to be efficiently automated in everyday life. However, a loss of control in the regulation of these processes can lead to their pathological overexpression. These symptoms, such as compulsive behavior, stereotypies, or tics, are observed in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, and their neurophysiological origin remains to be better characterized. My research group aims to investigate the neurophysiological and behavioral aspects underlying repetitive behaviors by working in parallel with human subjects and mouse models, by designing similar experimental design for both species. We are particularly interested in investigating how corticobasal ganglia loops are involved in the regulation of repetitive behaviors. We are studying these circuits in animal models and in patients with pathological repetitive behaviors (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette’s patients), which provide a unique opportunity to explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying their regulation. This translational approach also aims to propose innovative therapeutic strategies based on neurostimulation or targeted pharmacological intervention.

Invited by Julien Bouvier