Elucidation of neural circuit that processes head direction information in spatial cognition.

• Project/Area Number: 18K06519
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46030:Function of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Maejima Takashi 金沢大学, 医学系, 准教授 (70399319)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 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 2020: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: 背側被蓋核 / 乳頭体 / ヒスタミン神経 / 頭部方向細胞 / 空間認知 / ナビゲーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The dorsal tegmental nucleus to the lateral mammillary body tract contributes to the information processing that forms and maintains the orientation selectivity of head direction cells. To elucidate the processing mechanism, we studied the connections and electrophysiological properties of the neurons in the circuit. Our experimental results suggest that the dorsal tegmental nucleus is composed of different types of GABAergic neurons that are localized in the dorsal and ventral parts and have distinct electrical properties and its connectivity.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

頭部方向情報の処理過程を担う、背側被蓋核から外側乳頭体に至る神経回路を構成する神経細胞の接続と機能の一端が明らかになった。ここで得られた知見は哺乳類における空間認知・ナビゲーションシステムの全容解明に寄与すると期待される。また、この経路においてヒスタミン神経に対し直接シナプス入力を形成する神経細胞の機能的性質が明らかになり、これにより空間認知機構におけるヒスタミン神経系の機能的役割の解明につながると考えられる。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] GABA from vasopressin neurons regulates the time at which suprachiasmatic nucleus molecular clocks enable circadian behavior (2021)
  • Author(s): Maejima Takashi、Tsuno Yusuke、Miyazaki Shota、Tsuneoka Yousuke、Hasegawa Emi、Islam Md Tarikul、Enoki Ryosuke、Nakamura Takahiro J.、Mieda Michihiro
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Volume: 118 Issue: 6 Pages: 1-18
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010168118
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] RGS2 drives male aggression in mice via the serotonergic system (2019)
  • Author(s): Mark MD, Wollenweber P, Gesk A, Koesters K, Batzke K, Janoschka C, Maejima T, Han J, Deneris ES, Herlitze S
  • Journal Title: Communications Biology Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Pages: 373-373
  • DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0622-0
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Glutamatergic neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex mediate the formation and retrieval of cocaine-associated memories in mice (2019)
  • Author(s): Zhang Tong、Yanagida Junko、Kamii Hironori、Wada Shintaro、Domoto Masaki、Sasase Hitoki、Deyama Satoshi、Takarada Takeshi、Hinoi Eiichi、Sakimura Kenji、Yamanaka Akihiro、Maejima Takashi、Mieda Michihiro、Sakurai Takeshi、Nishitani Naoya、Nagayasu Kazuki、Kaneko Shuji、Minami Masabumi、Kaneda Katsuyuki
  • Journal Title: Addiction Biology Volume: 印刷中 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-11
  • DOI: 10.1111/adb.12723
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Monoamines Inhibit GABAergic Neurons in Ventrolateral Preoptic Area That Make Direct Synaptic Connections to Hypothalamic Arousal Neurons (2018)
  • Author(s): Saito Yuki C.、Maejima Takashi、Nishitani Mitsuhiro、Hasegawa Emi、Yanagawa Yuchio、Mieda Michihiro、Sakurai Takeshi
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Neuroscience Volume: 38 Issue: 28 Pages: 6366-6378
  • DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2835-17.2018
  • NAID: 120007133906
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] Analysis of the central circadian clock in AVP neuron-specific VGAT deficient mice (2019)
  • Author(s): Takashi Maejima, Emi Hasegawa, Yusuke Tsuno, Michihiro Mieda
  • Organizer: The 9th FAOPS
• [Presentation] AVP神経特異的小胞GABAトランスポーター遺伝子欠損マウスにおける中枢概日時計の解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 前島隆司、長谷川恵美、津野祐輔、三枝理博
  • Organizer: 第２５回日本時間生物学会学術大会