Project/Area Number |
11306020
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
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Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
Basic veterinary science/Basic zootechnical science
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Research Institution | THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO |
Principal Investigator |
SAWASAKI Toru Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 教授 (00012047)
|
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
LI JY Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Assistant Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 助手 (10313082)
NISHIHARA Masugi Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 教授 (90145673)
MORI Yuji Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 教授 (40157871)
|
Project Period (FY) |
1999 – 2001
|
Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2001)
|
Budget Amount *help |
¥35,610,000 (Direct Cost: ¥33,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,310,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥10,010,000 (Direct Cost: ¥7,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,310,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥8,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥16,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥16,800,000)
|
Keywords | Ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus / Running motion / Running neuron / Kainic acid / γ-Aimino-butyric-acid (GABA) / Glutamic-acid receptor / Rat / Shiba-goat |
Research Abstract |
The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) is the organ of control for instinctive behavior, such as feeding, sexual, attacking and escaping behaviors, indispensable to maintenance of individual and species. For the display of these behaviors there are the common factor such as running motion regardless of motives. The elucidation of these control mechanisms needs for further understanding and the developments for control methods of instinctive behavior. In the rat we discovered the existence of the running neuron bringing about typical running motion at the VMH. Moreover the running neuron has the command mechanisms for the function of the metabolism and the circulation supporting running motion. In the rat the nature of excitements at the running neuron rise through the glutamic-acid receptor kainic acid type and is suppressed through the γ-amino-butyric-acid (GABA) receptor at synapse. As soon as kainic acid and GABA receptor blocker were administrated at shiba-goat VMH, they were put to grazing (30mX30m). The behavior of the goats was observed and recorded with CCD camera. About 5 minutes later goats ran along the fence and/or on the diagonal line of the area. This running motion continued during 3-4 minutes and then goat bleated and walked during 10-30 minutes. The repetition of these behaviors in the goat is completely different from nonstop running motion in the rat. The running motion in the goat exists under the brain's control at high level, therefore the excitement of the running neuron is not related to the revelation of running motion directly. On the other hand the change of metabolisms were nearly the same at both animals. So the control mechanisms of autonomous function like the control for metabolism are well preserved but the control center for high level function like the revelation of behaviors may have shifted to superior brain.
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