Analyses of neural change of female mice

• Project/Area Number: 17K14948
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Goto Hiroko 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, 研究員 (30729207)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: メスマウス / 神経活性 / 神経 / 神経活動 / 睡眠 / イメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I examined the relationship between the sleep/wake status and neural activity during the estrus cycles. For that purpose, I measured the sleep/wake status of each mouse and analyzed the neural activity of the whole brain by a tissue clearing method. These analyses discovered widespread brain regions associated with estrus cycles and sleep/wake status.
I also examined the neural connectivity change during pregnancy and postpartum period. I identified the change in number of mono-synaptic input neurons during pregnancy and postpartum period. I also observed the neural activity during the birth and breastfeeding.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

女性のコンディションは月経、妊娠、閉経などライフイベントによって大きく左右される。このような女性特有のライフイベントにおける脳内の仕組みを解決することは、より多くの女性が活躍できる社会づくりにつながる可能性がある。

Research Products

• [Presentation] CUBIC-Map Analyses for Whole-organ Cellular Activity Profiling (2017)
  • Author(s): Hiroko Yukinaga, Dimitri Perrin, Qianhui Zhang, Genshiro A. Sunagawa, Kazuki Tainaka, and Hiroki R. Ueda
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会
  • Invited