Remembering the cold – integrating engrams and metabolism

Environmental thermal challenges require the brain to coordinate both autonomic and behavioural responses to maintain physiological homeostasis. How and whether thermal experiences are encoded as memories remains unknown. This proposal aims to uncover the mechanistic basis of “cold memory” in thermoregulation, and the reciprocal relationship between cold experience and memory engrams. Using advanced methods, including engram labelling, optogenetics, chemogenetics, calcium imaging, and transcriptomics, we will define the molecular and circuit mechanisms governing the storage and activation of cold sensitive engrams. By integrating molecular, physiological, and behavioural approaches, we will generate a detailed, multi-level understanding of how cold memories are formed and utilized to drive adaptive behavioural and metabolic responses. The results will provide the first fundamental insights into how memory influences metabolic physiological adaptation, with implications for neurological and metabolic disorders, including conditions characterized by impaired thermoregulation.