Elucidation of neural mechanism of patience governed by the serotonin system

• Project/Area Number: 16K07008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Katsuhiko 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 神経計算ユニット, 研究員 (10426570)
• Research Collaborator: MIYAZAKI kayoko
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
• Keywords: セロトニン / 辛抱強さ / オプトジェネティクス / 報酬待機行動 / レバー押し行動 / カルシウムイメージング / 光遺伝学 / 背側縫線核

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We revealed that there is causal relationship between dorsal raphe serotonin neural activity and patience to wait for delayed rewards. In this study, we examined whether dorsal raphe serotonin neurons contribute to not only "patience to wait" but also "patience to act" for future rewards by optogenetics behavioral experiments. I found that the dorsal raphe serotonin neurons differentially contribute to patience to wait and patience to act for future rewards.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

セロトニンはうつ病や注意欠陥多動性障害などの衝動性を伴う精神疾患と深く関わっていいるが、セロトニン神経活動がどのように神経疾患と関連しているのかについては未だ謎が多い。本研究では、セロトニン神経活動は辛抱強く行動することより待つことに関与していることが明らかになった。ニューロフィードバックなどを用いてセロトニン神経活動を活性化することで、例えばキレやすく辛抱ができない子供などに対して薬物を用いない行動療法など、様々な医療応用へ向けた貢献が期待される。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Reward probability and timing uncertainty alter the effect of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons on patience (2018)
  • Author(s): Miyazaki K*, Miyazaki KW*, Yamanaka A, Tokuda T, Tanaka KF, Doya K *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 2048-2048
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04496-y
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] The effect of optogenetic serotonergic stimulation on motor actions for future rewards in mice (2019)
  • Author(s): Taira M, Miyazaki WK, Miyazaki K, Doya K
  • Organizer: 9th International Symposium on Biology of Decision Making
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Sertonergic Effect on Motor Actions for Future Rewards in Mice (2018)
  • Author(s): Taira M, Miyazaki WK, Miyazaki K, Doya K
  • Organizer: 11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience
  • Int'l Joint Research