Role of ghrelin on environment-dependent wakefulness induction

• Project/Area Number: 16K19004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental physiology(including physical medicine and nutritional physiology)
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Kim Juhyon 富山大学, 大学院理工学研究部(工学), 講師 (00635146)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: グレリン / 睡眠・覚醒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ghrelin, an endogenous peptide produced in stomach and brain, plays a crucial role in feeding behavior and growth hormone secretion. Some studies using rodents with administration of ghrelin or the receptor-KO also indicated that ghrelin regulates sleep-wakefulness, especially environment-dependent wakefulness (wake) induction. However, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Present study using rats demonstrated that ghrelin facilitates neuronal activity of tuberomammillary nucleus, one of wake-promoting nuclei, and affects sleep-wake pattern.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

環境変化に対する適応反応や注意、認知反応には適切な覚醒レベルの維持が必須であり、上記の先行報告は覚醒反応におけるグレリンシグナリングの重要性を示唆する。本研究成果は睡眠・覚醒制御機構における知見に重要な基礎を与えるものである。

Research Products

• [Presentation] Ghrelin modulates duration or number of wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep event (2019)
  • Author(s): Okumura R, Tajima T, Mukai T, Yamashita D, Kakizawa T, Kim J, Nakajima K
  • Organizer: 9th Federation of the Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies Congress
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] グレリンによる睡眠・覚醒への影響と活性化脳領域の検証 (2018)
  • Author(s): 奥村亮典，但馬俊貴，向 拓也，山下大海，柿澤太一，金 主賢，中島一樹
  • Organizer: 日本生体医工学会北陸支部大会
• [Presentation] Effects of ghrelin on the locus coeruleus neurons in rats (2017)
  • Author(s): Juhyon Kim, Daisuke Shima, Yuto Ikai, Toshiki Tajima, Kazuki Nakajima
  • Organizer: The 2017 annual meeting of Society for Neuroscience (Neuroscience 2017)
  • Int'l Joint Research