| Project/Area Number |
12210009
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Review Section |
Biological Sciences
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| Research Institution | Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University |
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Principal Investigator |
NISHIJO Hisao (2004) Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor, 医学系研究科, 教授 (00189284)
小野 武年 (2000-2003) 富山医科薬科大学, 医学部, 教授 (50019577)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SHIRAKI Kimiyasu Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (50135745)
MURAGUCHI Atsushi Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (20174287)
KURACHI Masayoshi Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (80019603)
HUH Nam-Ho Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor, 大学院医歯薬学総合研究所, 教授 (70173573)
OHTANI Osamu Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (90127548)
西条 寿夫 富山医科薬科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00189284)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2004)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥107,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥107,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥25,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥25,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥26,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥26,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥26,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥26,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥29,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥29,700,000)
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| Keywords | Emotion / Memory / Cognition / Immunity / Limbic System / Neuronal Activity / Cytokine / Behavior |
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| Research Abstract |
We have investigated limbic mechanisms on emotion, memory and immune responses from molecular to behavior levels.
1. Neurophysiological study: Monkey hippocampal formation (HF) neurons were recorded during virtual navigation. Some neurons responded before or after the reward delivery only in specific areas of a specific virtual space. Activity of the other type of the HF neurons increased during navigation in specific directions. These HF neurons with spatial correlates showed different responses in different virtual spaces. These specific features of the monkey HF neurons might underlie neurophysiological bases of the human episodic memory.
2. Neuroanatomical Study: Excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission in the limbic system, particularly the amygdala has been suggested to be responsible for development of schizophrenia. In this study we examined expression of dopamine D2 receptors in the basolateral (BL) nucleus of the rat amygdala by double immuno-electron microscopy and confocal la
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ser scanning microscopy. We showed GABA neurons in the BL express dopamine D2 receptors, and that the dopamine system in the BL modulates GABA interneurons, which in turn, exert inhibitory influence on projection neurons of the BL. The DA system also directly influences on the projection neurons which are presumably glutamatergic.
3. Molecular biological study: 1) We analyzed the expression of neurocan that is known to inhibit axonal elongation. The results indicate that neurocan may be involved in the regulation of axonal elongation after brain infarction. 2) We investigated the role of IL-1 beta and IL-18, proinflammatory cytokines that are activated by IL-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE), in kainic acid (KA)-induced ataxia. 3) To introduce genes of neurotropic factors into the limbic system, we inserted those genes in the internal inverted repeat region connected to UL55 promoter region of a Herpes simplex virus (HSV) vector.
4. Neuropsychological study: Schneider's first rank symptoms (auditory hallucination and disturbance of self), which are characteristic of Schizophrenia, were reported to be related to volume reductions in the parahippocampal gyrus and cingulate gyrus. To clarify the neuroanatomical correlates for development of schizophrenia, MRI-based brain morphology was compared between patients with schizophrenia and schizotypal disorder. Volume reductions in the amygdala and hippocampus common to both disorders may represent the vulnerability to schizophrenia, while prefrontal volume loss observed preferentially in schizophrenia may be a critical factor for overt manifestation of this psychosis. Less
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