Physiological role of neurogenic growth factors in higher brain function
| Project/Area Number |
18500297
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
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| Research Institution | Kyushu University |
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Principal Investigator |
UDO Hiroshi Kyushu University, Faculty of Science, Assistant Professor (70363322)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SUGIYAMA Hiroyuki KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, Faculty of Science, Professor (20124224)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2007
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2007)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,960,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000)
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| Keywords | Growth Factor / Mouse / Neurogenesis / Affective Behavior / Mood Disorder / Depression / Anxiety / Agression / 成長因子 / 脳 / 神経生物学 |
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| Research Abstract |
Our goal of this research is to understand the biological role of adult neurogenesis on higher brain function. To do this, we have attempted to generate transgenic mice overexpressing neurogenic factors in brain and to characterize their effects on higher brain function.
Novel findings were obtained from the characterization of mice overexpressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in forebrain. We found that angiogenesis and cell genesis were significantly enhanced in VEGF transgenic mice, which resulted in formation of an enlarged brain (more than 40% increase in brain/body weight ratio). The number of neural progenitor cells was significantly increased in the mice. Adult neurogenesis in dentate gyrus of hippocampus was almost doubled, and maturation of newborn neurons appeared to be enhanced. When animal behavior was examined, although there was no apparent difference in the learning tasks, we found significant alterations in affective behaviors. The data suggest that VEGF eli
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cits antidepressant effect and anti-anxiety effect, and that VEGF is also effective in reducing aggression and fear. Electrophysiological analyses so far have yet to reveal characteristic features in the mice, but we continue to identify the neural network underlying altered moods.
In this study, we have demonstrated that enhanced neurogenesis affect higher brain functions such as affective behaviors. Our finding that VEGF affects multiple forms of affective behaviors is quite novel, which has been reported in Journal of Neuroscience (Udo et al., 28:14522-, 2008). Since our finding provides a useful therapeutic tool to ameliorate the excessive emotional disorders (e. g. mood disorders such as depression), a potential use of VEGF or related materials as anti-stressors has been applied for a Japanese patent (#2008-282533, 2008). In addition, our publication has been commented in SciBX (a journal sponsored by Nature and BioCentury), which may represent a practical importance of our finding. Less
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Research Products
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