# Multi-level dissection of cerebello-limbic connectivity

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2023 · $598,396

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
In addition to its well-established role in motor control, the cerebellum is increasingly recognized as a regulator
of limbic functions, including goal-directed behavior and affective learning. The mechanistic contribution of the
cerebellum to these functions remains unclear but is hypothesized to involve mnemonic processing, timing of
responses, and/or computation of prediction errors, which drive behavior and learning. Our ability to test these
hypotheses depends on two things: establishment of a well-defined cerebellum-relevant behavioral paradigm;
and knowledge of the underlying long-range circuits that connect the cerebellum to essential limbic brain
centers. Our preliminary data demonstrate that we have accomplished both: first, we have identified extinction
of learned fear as a suitable paradigm for these studies. Second, our investigations of the anatomical and
functional blueprints of cerebellar circuits have revealed the existence of disynaptic connectivity between (1)
the cerebellum and the amygdala and (2) the cerebellum and nucleus accumbens. The goal of this project is to
dissect the structure and function of these cerebello-limbic circuits and to define their role in learned behavior.
In Aims 1 and 2, we will use circuit tracing, single-cell sequencing and optophysiology to define the
fundamental functional properties of individual cell types that comprise these cerebellar circuits and link them
to positional and transcriptomic profiles. In Aim 3, we will use in vivo manipulation of the activity of individual
circuit elements and measurements of neural activity to pinpoint the contribution of cerebello-limbic circuits to
extinction of learned behavior. Our multi-level interrogation of cerebello-limbic connectivity will greatly increase
our understanding of its contributions to non-motor functionality and may provide insight into the
(dys)regulation of learned fear, which is prevalent in diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10597655
- **Project number:** 5R01MH128744-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Diasynou Fioravante
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $598,396
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-04-01 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10597655

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10597655, Multi-level dissection of cerebello-limbic connectivity (5R01MH128744-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10597655. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*