Elucidation of the roles of the amygdala-anteriro cingulate loop in regulation of emotional behavior

• Project/Area Number: 24240060
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fusional social brain science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Katsuki 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 教授 (70243110)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MIYACHI Shigehiro 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 准教授 (60392354)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-05-31 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥29,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥22,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥6,870,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥6,890,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,590,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥7,410,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,710,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥7,020,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,620,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥8,450,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,950,000)
• Keywords: 帯状回 / 情動 / 扁桃核 / 側頭極 / サル / 前帯状回 / ニューロン / 側頭葉 / 投射 / 神経トレーサー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human imaging studies have suggested that dysfunction of the amygdala-anterior cingulate loop may cause affective disorder and anxiety disorder. However, the existence and function of the loop are still unknown. In the present study, we examined the neural connectivity and responsiveness of the anterior cingulate cortex using monkeys, which have brain structures and function similar to those of humans. We found that, unlike other frontal areas, the anterior cingulated cortex has dense connections with temporal areas related to emotional behavior, such as the temporal pole, perirhinal cortex, and the amygdala. We also found that some anterior cingulate neurons responded to emotional stimuli, such as photos of other monkey faces and snakes. These characteristics of the anterior cingulate may form the basis of its function of emotional regulation.

Research Products

• [Presentation] Projections from the amygdala to subregions of the anterior cingulate cortex in macaque monkeys. (2014)
  • Author(s): Kim Y, Sakata H, Konoike N, Miyachi S, Nakamura K
  • Organizer: Neuroscience2014
  • Place of Presentation: Washington DC, (USA)
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-19
• [Presentation] Projections from the temporal cortical areas to the sugenual portion of the anterior cingulate cortex in macaque monkeys (2014)
  • Author(s): Sakata H, Kim Y, Konoike N, Miyachi S, Nakamura K
  • Organizer: Neuroscience2014
  • Place of Presentation: Washington DC, (USA)
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-19
• [Presentation] Neurons responsive to faces in the perigenual portion of the anterior cingulate cortex of monkeys. (2014)
  • Author(s): Konoike N, Nakamura K,
  • Organizer: The 37th Annual Meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society
  • Place of Presentation: パシフィコ横浜（神奈川県、横浜市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-11 – 2014-09-13
• [Presentation] Neuronal responses to faces in the anterior cingulate cortex of monkeys. (2013)
  • Author(s): Konoike N., Nakamura K.
  • Organizer: 43th Annual meeting, Society for Neuroscience
  • Place of Presentation: San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA, USA
• [Remarks] 京都大学霊長類研究所 神経科学研究部門 高次脳機能分野ホームページ
  • URL: http://www.pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/sections/cognitive_neuroscience/index.html