Dr. Frank Meye

Limbic system under stress: Neural circuits for processing food reward, stress, and their interaction.

Dr. Frank Meye, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht

The research conducted in my lab focuses on understanding the neurobiological circuits involved in valence processing, where rewarding experiences are associated with positive
valence and aversive or stressful experiences are linked to negative valence. Additionally, we explore the intriguing interplay between stress states and reward-seeking
behavior. Specifically, we aim to determine how stress, through its effects on neural plasticity in circuits such as the limbic reward system, can lead to an increased drive to
consume high-calorie foods rich in fat and sugar. To achieve this, we utilize preclinical rodent models, combining ex vivo and in vivo neurophysiological measurements, behavioral assays, and neurostimulation techniques. By mapping, monitoring, and manipulating specific neural circuits and their plasticity, we strive to unravel the complex interactions between reward and stress — processes that are disrupted in multiple brain diseases.

Host: Susanne la Fleur