| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The neuropharmacological study was performed to evaluate the mechanism underlying the favorable effect of vestibular substitution using electrotactile stimulation thorough the tongue for subjects with balance imbalance. We investigated the changes in glutamate release from the vestibular nucleus (VN) following electrical stimulation at 0.5 mA (50 Hz) to the upper gingiva, by in vivo microdialysis study. The concentration of glutamate in the VN increased during the electrical stimulation. This increase in glutamate release was depressed in the presence of low calcium perfusion. These results suggest that the glutamatergic input from the trigeminal nuclei induced by trigeminal stimulation, elevate the glutamate release in the VN. Therefore, the cross-modal plasticity between trigeminal and vestibular nuclei might enable the development of a functional network in the central vestibular system, resulting in the favorable effects of vestibular-tongue tactile substitution training.
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