Cortical mechanisms of perceptial memory consolidation

• Project/Area Number: 16H05929
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Brain biometrics
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Murayama Muasanori 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳神経科学研究センター, チームリーダー (30578901)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥25,220,000 (Direct Cost: ¥19,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,820,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥5,330,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,230,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥11,180,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,580,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥8,710,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,010,000)
• Keywords: マウス / 知覚 / 記憶の固定化 / 大脳新皮質 / 触知覚記憶 / 皮質 / 体性感覚野 / 高次運動野 / 新皮質 / トップダウン / 錐体細胞 / 樹状突起 / 睡眠 / シナプス可塑性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Corticocortical mechanisms of perceptual memory consolidations are unclear. We recently found that secondary motor cortex (M2) projects top-down inputs to primary somatosensory cortex (S1), which is essential for perceptual memory consolidation. Here we studied axonal activity from M2 to S1, spine and dendritic activity of L5 pyramidal neurons in S1 during sleep. We found that axonal and dendritic activity increased after the learning, and that new spins are formed for memory consolidation.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の遂行により、長く議論が続いていた皮質内における記憶の固定化機序の一端が明らかにできると期待される。今後、睡眠障害モデル動物に対して光操作を行い、学習成績が回復することが明らかになれば、ヒトにおける睡眠障害の病理の解明と治療法の開発に向けた基礎研究基盤の構築が期待できる。さらに、記憶障害を伴う睡眠障害の患者や高齢者への応用が期待される。