DLC model for rodent taste

repo here

This project investigates the relationship between emotional states and neuronal activity in response to different taste stimuli, with a focus on salt, sucrose, and quinine. These tastants were chosen because they elicit distinct emotional reactions—appetitive responses to sucrose and aversive reactions to quinine—that can provide insight into how animals approach or avoid stimuli based on their emotional state. The use of higher sucrose concentrations (20 µM) is questioned, as it may produce euphoric responses, which could complicate the interpretation of emotional states. The central goal is to replicate and expand on previous literature by automating the analysis of behavioral responses (e.g., gaping, licking) to these stimuli using video tracking and machine learning, with the aim of detecting emotional states more accurately across different homeostatic states, including conditions of salt depletion or repletion.

(Lateral Habenula actiivity)

The broader motivation behind this project lies in understanding how animals regulate approach and avoidance behaviors, which are critical for survival. Studying these behaviors in a controlled, measurable way allows us to explore how these emotional responses are connected to neural circuits, specifically within the lateral hypothalamus (LH). This brain region is implicated in motivation, with neurons that can either stimulate or inhibit feeding behaviors depending on the emotional context. Using a combination of oral-facial video tracking (via DeepLabCut), 2-photon imaging, and optogenetics, we aim to characterize the activity of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons in the LH during taste reactivity experiments. The long-term goal is to understand how these neuronal populations contribute to emotional responses and behavior, providing insights that may inform therapies for conditions like addiction and overeating, where maladaptive approach and avoidance behaviors are central.