Marcelo Rigon Zimmer, PhD, BS
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
I am interested in understanding the neurobiological underpinning of infant-to-mother attachment using animal models.
Extensive Research Description
In my Ph.D. studies, I questioned the role of hypothalamic hunger-promoting Agrp neurons beyond its canonic role. In these studies, we found that Agrp neurons play a role in stereotypical behavior using transgenic mouse models. These findings provide new insights into metabolic disorders and psychiatric diseases that exhibit dysregulation of energy balance and stereotypical behaviors. We also identified a new role of Agrp neurons in contributing to the infant's bonding to the mother in neonatal mice. These findings revealed a hidden neuronal mechanism of the ontogeny of social relationships in mammals. Currently, I am interested in understanding how the infant develops a unique bond with the mother. I am studying infant behavior in different rodent species (mouse, rat, and guinea pig). I am conducting behavioral studies and using state-of-the-art neuroscience techniques to identify the underlying mechanisms mediating the infant's bonding to the mother.
Coauthors
Research Image
Behavioral profile of a 10-day-old Guinea Pig upon maternal separation
Selected Publications
- Leptin signaling in astrocytes regulates hypothalamic neuronal circuits and feeding.Kim JG, Suyama S, Koch M, Jin S, Argente-Arizon P, Argente J, Liu ZW, Zimmer MR, Jeong JK, Szigeti-Buck K, Gao Y, Garcia-Caceres C, Yi CX, Salmaso N, Vaccarino FM, Chowen J, Diano S, Dietrich MO, Tschöp MH, Horvath TL. Leptin signaling in astrocytes regulates hypothalamic neuronal circuits and feeding. Nature Neuroscience 2014, 17: 908-10. PMID: 24880214, PMCID: PMC4113214, DOI: 10.1038/nn.3725.
- O-GlcNAc transferase enables AgRP neurons to suppress browning of white fat.Ruan HB, Dietrich MO, Liu ZW, Zimmer MR, Li MD, Singh JP, Zhang K, Yin R, Wu J, Horvath TL, Yang X. O-GlcNAc transferase enables AgRP neurons to suppress browning of white fat. Cell 2014, 159: 306-17. PMID: 25303527, PMCID: PMC4509746, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.09.010.
- Hypothalamic Agrp neurons drive stereotypic behaviors beyond feeding.Dietrich MO, Zimmer MR, Bober J, Horvath TL. Hypothalamic Agrp neurons drive stereotypic behaviors beyond feeding. Cell 2015, 160: 1222-32. PMID: 25748653, PMCID: PMC4484787, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.02.024.
- Activation of Agrp neurons modulates memory-related cognitive processes in mice.Zimmer MR, Schmitz AE, Dietrich MO. Activation of Agrp neurons modulates memory-related cognitive processes in mice. Pharmacological Research : The Official Journal Of The Italian Pharmacological Society 2019, 141: 303-309. PMID: 30610962, PMCID: PMC6400640, DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.12.024.
- Regulation of substrate utilization and adiposity by Agrp neurons.Cavalcanti-de-Albuquerque JP, Bober J, Zimmer MR, Dietrich MO. Regulation of substrate utilization and adiposity by Agrp neurons. Nature Communications 2019, 10: 311. PMID: 30659173, PMCID: PMC6338802, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08239-x.
- Functional Ontogeny of Hypothalamic Agrp Neurons in Neonatal Mouse Behaviors.Zimmer MR, Fonseca AHO, Iyilikci O, Pra RD, Dietrich MO. Functional Ontogeny of Hypothalamic Agrp Neurons in Neonatal Mouse Behaviors. Cell 2019, 178: 44-59.e7. PMID: 31104844, PMCID: PMC6688755, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.026.