PRESENTATION

Overweight, obesity and associated metabolic diseases are major public health concerns. Whereas a small proportion of obesity is explained by genetics, society is facing a dramatic increase of cases inherent to environmental alteration. Among those, access to appetizing food and daily stress play an indisputable role, particularly in women of childbearing age. Many studies pointed out a role of the maternal environment alteration in the development of metabolic diseases in children and offspring, but the understanding of underlying neurobiological mechanisms and behaviors remains elusive.

The maintenance of healthy body weight is ensured by the equilibrium between energy intake (e.g. food intake) and energy expenditure (e.g.locomotor activity) in a concept called energy balance. The hypothalamus where key neuronal and non-neuronal cell populations reside, plays a central role in controlling energy balance. The Sophie Croizier laboratory not only seeks to better define the neurocircuits that control energy balance but also to further characterize e the factors orchestrating the wiring of hypothalamic neuronal circuits. The lab is focusing in identifying molecules underlying axon growth and synaptogenesis and in deciphering how alteration of maternal environment, including obesity and stress, impairs these developmental processes.