Mechanism for appetite regulation by activated cortical neurons during food anticipation

• Project/Area Number: 18K07353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Kusumoto Ikue 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 助教 (80724757)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 餌予測行動 / c-fos / 食欲 / 島皮質 / 期待 / 予測 / Arc / 摂食 / 活動神経細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Appetite is a basic drive that is essential to survival for all animals. It has been investigated that neurons or nucleus that is linked to regulation of eating behavior. How the behavior is motivated were less explored. We adopted a behavioral task that enable us to observe motivation for eating relatively longer time period in mice. We found activation of some cortical neurons and other nuclei during the motivated time period.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「食べる」行動は、生きている動物すべてに必要不可欠な行動であるが、その「欲望」の起こる仕組みについてはこれまで研究することが難しかった。我々は、単純な「食べる」行動タスクではあるが、比較的長時間「欲する」行動を動物に表出させることのできる行動タスクを活用することで、「欲する」ときに活動していた神経細胞群を確認することができた。本研究の成果と現代で利用可能な遺伝子改変動物、技術を活用することで、本研究で確認された活性化神経細胞群の機能的役割を研究する道が開かれたと考えている。「欲望」の調節は、時として我々人類の多くが望むことであるが、その生じるメカニズムを知ることで、調節することにも貢献したい。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Involvement of the Nucleus Accumbens in Chocolate-induced Cataplexy (2020)
  • Author(s): Jingyang Su1,2, Zhi Li 1,2, AkiraYamashita1, Ikue Kusumoto-Yoshida1, Takuto Isomichi 1, Liying Hao2,3 & Tomoyuki Kuwaki 1,3*
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-12
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61823-4
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Inactivation of Serotonergic Neurons in the Rostral Medullary Raph? Attenuates Stress-Induced Tachypnea and Tachycardia in Mice (2018)
  • Author(s): Ikoma Yoko、Kusumoto-Yoshida Ikue、Yamanaka Akihiro、Ootsuka Youichirou、Kuwaki Tomoyuki
  • Journal Title: Frontiers in Physiology Volume: 9 Pages: 1-16
  • DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00832
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Hypothalamic regulation of cortical activity for repetitive behavior (2020)
  • Author(s): 楠本‐吉田郁恵、Ma Jihao、山口蘭、桑木共之
  • Organizer: 第97回日本生理学会大会
• [Presentation] 島皮質による食欲調節メカニズムの解析 (2019)
  • Author(s): 楠本（吉田）郁恵
  • Organizer: 第32回日本動物細胞工学会2019年度大会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Analysis of activated cortical area caused by food restriction in mice (2019)
  • Author(s): Jihao Ma, Sakurako Yanase, Lisa Udagawa, Tomoyuki Kuwaki and Ikue Kusumoto-Yoshida
  • Organizer: Federation of the Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies 9th FAOPS congress
  • Int'l Joint Research