Camilla Bellone

Host: Christian Keysers, c.keyers@nin.knaw.nl
Comparative Social Neuroscience.

The Guest Speaker:
Camilla Bellone
Associate professor
Faculty of Medicine
Vice-Dean for Basic Research and Technology.
Department of Basic Neuroscience.
Université De Genève.

Title: Neurobiology of Social Motivation.

Abstract:
Social motivation—the drive to seek, maintain, and value social interactions—is a fundamental component of adaptive behavior. Its disruption is a hallmark of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. In this talk, I will outline the conceptual framework and experimental approaches used to study social motivation in rodent models, combining behavioral paradigms with circuit-level analyses. I will discuss how distinct yet interconnected brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, insular cortex, and ventral tegmental area, orchestrate the motivational value of social stimuli through the coordinated action of neuromodulatory systems such as dopamine and serotonin. Particular emphasis will be placed on how social motivation dynamically adapts to internal states and external contexts, and how alterations in these processes contribute to social withdrawal or reduced social drive. Understanding the neural circuits and molecular pathways underlying social motivation provides critical insight into the mechanisms of social dysfunction and may guide the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

The Speaker:
Camilla Bellone is Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Department of Basic Neurosciences at the University of Geneva. Her research explores the neural and molecular mechanisms that shape social behaviour, focusing on how synaptic plasticity and neuromodulation govern social motivation and interaction. Using integrative approaches that combine behaviour, circuitry, and molecular analysis, her laboratory has provided key insights into how brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens coordinate the rewarding aspects of social experience. Her work advances our understanding of the neural basis of social dysfunction in disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and depression.