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Structural and functional changes in the brain due to fatigue, aging, and their interaction

Research Project

Project/Area Number 19K11708
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
Research InstitutionInstitute of Physical and Chemical Research

Principal Investigator

Sasaki Akihiro  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 (10711781)

Project Period (FY) 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Keywords加齢 / 疲労 / 脳 / MRI / 認知機能
Outline of Research at the Start

我が国は超高齢化社会を迎え、さらに国民の多くが慢性的な疲労を抱えている現代において、健康脆弱化をいかに防ぐかは重要な課題である。加齢に伴い易疲労化が進み、疲労回復性が低下することや、疲労による生体酸化が老化を促進すると考えられていることから、加齢および疲労による健康脆弱化と脳の構造および機能との関連を解き明かすことを目的として本研究を推進する。
これまでの研究から加齢に伴う脳の皮質構造の変化が明らかとなってきたが、疲労が同様の変化をもたらすかは分かっていない。本研究では加齢および疲労、その両者の相互作用によってどのような脳の皮質構造および機能がどのように変化するかを明らかにする。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the multiple variables of cortical microstructures (CM) including myelin and neurite in association with subject measures (SM) including age, fatigue, and cognitive function in a cross-sectional MRI study. The cortical surface-based analysis was performed for estimating cortical thickness, myelin contrast and neurite density as well as extra neurite compartment. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) using multi-modal brain metrics and subject measures revealed that CCA1 for SM is highly correlated with age and the cognitive performances relevant to set-shifting, while not significantly correlated with affective states and fatigue index. The loading of CCA1 for CM is correlated with myelin and NDI and inversely correlated with ExNDI and cortical thickness. This finding suggests that the brain transitions from a plastic to a stable system throughout the lifespan, which may support the crystallization of cognition.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

世界中で高齢化が加速している。中でも日本は2019年に世界に先駆け超高齢化時代を迎えている。これまでの研究から加齢はしばしば認知機能の低下や脳の萎縮と関連を示めされきている。しかしながら、大脳皮質を構築するミエリンや神経突起さらにはグリアなどの微細構造がヒトのライフスパンにおいてどのように変化するかはほとんど分かっていなかった。本研究では若年から老年までの横断的な脳画像データを用いて、皮質微細構造の加齢変化を明らかにすることで、ヒトの脳がライフスパンを通して可塑的なシステムから安定的なシステムへと移行する可能性を示した。

Report

(5 results)
  • 2022 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • 2019 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (8 results)

All 2022 2021 2020 2019

All Presentation (8 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 4 results)

  • [Presentation] ヒト成人における脳の加齢様式と皮質微細構造2022

    • Author(s)
      Akihiro Sasaki、Joonas A Autio、Toshihiko Aso、Hikaru Fukutomi、Kyosuke Watanabe、Kei Mizuno、Yasuyoshi Watanabe、Takuya Hayashi
    • Organizer
      日本神経科学学会(Neuro2022)
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Multimodal links between cortical microstructures and age in adult human2022

    • Author(s)
      Akihiro Sasaki
    • Organizer
      A3 Foresight Program Symposium 2022
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Age-related changes in structural and functional architecture of human cortex.2021

    • Author(s)
      Sasaki AT.
    • Organizer
      Asian 3 Program Annual Meeting on Molecular Imaging-based Precision Medicine.
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Age-related changes in cortical architecture and cognitive function.2020

    • Author(s)
      Sasaki AT, Fukutomi H, Autio J, Watanabe K, Morito Y, Tajima K, Ebisu K, Iwasaki M, Mizuno K, Watanabe Y, Hayashi T.
    • Organizer
      The Organization for Human Brain Mapping Annual Meeting
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 脳皮質構造の年齢依存的な変化と認知機能との関連2020

    • Author(s)
      佐々木章宏
    • Organizer
      日本心理学会第84回大会
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] Age-related changes in cortical myelin, thickness and neurite in adult human.2019

    • Author(s)
      Sasaki, AT., Fukutomi, H., Watanabe, K., Morito, Y., Tajima, K., Ebisu, K., Iwasaki, M., Mizuno, K., Hayashi, T., Watanabe, Y.
    • Organizer
      2019 OHBM Annual Meeting
    • Related Report
      2019 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] MRIで見る脳構造の加齢変化2019

    • Author(s)
      佐々木章宏
    • Organizer
      第8回化学フロンティア研究会
    • Related Report
      2019 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] Age-dependent changes in cortical architecture and its association with cognitive function.2019

    • Author(s)
      Sasaki, AT., Fukutomi, H., Autio, J., Watanabe, K., Morito, Y., Tajima, K., Ebisu, K., Iwasaki, M., Mizuno, K., Watanabe, Y., Hayashi, T.
    • Organizer
      第3回ヒト脳イメージング研究会
    • Related Report
      2019 Research-status Report

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Published: 2019-04-18   Modified: 2024-01-30  

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