Master 2 internship 2025-2026

Title: Cocaine addiction: role of dmPFC in adaptive behavioral inhibition

Context: Drug addiction is characterized by pathological drug-seeking and use, forming a chronic condition in which attempts to quit often fail. In the case of cocaine, approximately 20% of users are at risk of developing an addiction. Clinical and preclinical studies suggest that addiction involves both heightened sensitivity to drug-related cues and impairments in cognitive inhibitory control. However, the relative contribution of each process remains unclear, and the mechanisms underlying adaptive inhibitory control are still poorly understood.

Objectives: Our objective is to explore the role of a major projection from the prelimbic cortex in driving adaptive behavioral inhibition of incentive-driven cocaine seeking, and to compare individuals identified as either vulnerable or resistant to cocaine addiction.

Methods: In this Master’s project, we will use a unique behavioral model for the study of cocaine addiction in rats and couple it with fiber photometry (Conlisk et al., 2023) to sense dopamine and calcium simultaneously in distinct brain regions.

Keywords: Intravenous self-administration, fiber photometry

Prerequisites:
– Strong interest in behavior, integrative neuroscience and psychopathology.
– Animal experimentation training required

Team/Institute:
Deroche team / Neurocentre Magendie

Internship supervisor: Jean-François FIANCETTE ()

Team leader: Véronique DEROCHE-GAMONET ()

Application

Please send you application to   and