Leibniz Graduate School, TP 3: Emotions, learning and memory: What roles does Grb2 play in hippocampal signalling?

Neurotrophins such as BDNF activate the Ras signalling cascade downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases and are critical to the induction of neuronal plasticity. Grb2 is an intracellular adaptor molecule that mediates Ras signalling upon receptor tyrosine kinase stimulation. We will study the relevance of Grb2 in the generation of emotions and to learning and memory using conditional Grb2 knockout mice. Manipulated mutant mice will be exposed to mild chronic stress and to the application of anti-depressants, both of which are known to trigger neurotrophin action resulting in neurogenesis and increased hippocampal plasticity.