Basic study for the development of a new health strategy utilizing environmental enrichment

• Project/Area Number: 17K19947
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Health science and related fields
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: HONDA Manabu 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 疾病研究第七部, 部長 (40321608)
• Research Collaborator: Yamashita Yuichi ; Matsumoto Yui ; Ueno Osamu ; Kawai Norie ; Oohashi Tsutomu
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000)
• Keywords: 脳神経疾患 / トランスレーショナルリサーチ / 神経科学 / 脳・神経 / 情報環境 / エンリッチメント / 寿命延長 / 超高密度音響情報

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the effect of acoustic environmental enrichment (EE) on the lifespans and behaviours of mice to the end of their natural lifespan in different acoustic environments. Acoustic EE induced a significantly prolonged natural lifespan (nearly 17% longer) and was associated with increased voluntary movements. However, no correlation between lifespan and voluntary movements was detected, suggesting that increased voluntary movements are not a primary cause of lifespan prolongation. Analyses of individual differences in lifespan demonstrated that lifespan extension induced by acoustic EE could be related to changes in social relationships (e.g., reduction of social conflict) among individuals kept within a cage. Therefore, an acoustic component may be an important factor inducing the positive effects of EE.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、情報環境の中でも生命に常に接し続けている音環境を豊かにすることが、平均寿命の延長という動物の生存に対して包括的かつポジティブな影響を及ぼすことを世界で初めて示したものであり、人間をとりまく音環境や視聴覚情報、コミュニケーション情報などを含む〈情報環境〉の安全性や快適性を考える上で重要な知見を提供すると同時に、情報環境の改善によって精神・神経疾患に迫る新しい治療法「情報環境医療」の開発に寄与することが期待される。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Induction of prolonged natural lifespans in mice exposed to acoustic environmental enrichment (2018)
  • Author(s): Yamashita Yuichi、Kawai Norie、Ueno Osamu、Matsumoto Yui、Oohashi Tsutomu、Honda Manabu
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Pages: 7909-7909
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26302-x
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] Introduction À La Médecine Informative Pour Les Troubles Psychiatriques/Neurologiques. (2018)
  • Author(s): Manabu Honda
  • Organizer: 11e Colloque Approches Non-Medicamenteuses.
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 情報環境から脳の健康に迫る新たな健康・医療戦略「情報医療」の可能性． (2018)
  • Author(s): 本田 学
  • Organizer: 第27回日本臨床環境医学会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Sex differences in lifespan prolongation effect in mice induced by acoustic environmental enrichment. (2017)
  • Author(s): Yamashita Y, Kawai N, Ueno O, Matsumoto Y, Oohashi T, Honda M
  • Organizer: Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience 2017
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 情報環境から脳の健康に迫る新たな戦略「情報医療」の可能性． (2017)
  • Author(s): 本田学
  • Organizer: 第27回日本病態生理学会大会
  • Invited
• [Remarks] 豊かな音環境がマウスの寿命を延長することを発見
  • URL: https://www.ncnp.go.jp/press/release.html?no=412