2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Roles of the dopamine system in reward and attentional processing
| Project Area | Correspondence and Fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science |
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| Project/Area Number |
16H06567
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Review Section |
Complex systems
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-06-30 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | ドーパミンニューロン / 行動抑制 / 意思決定 / サル |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In this research project, we trained monkeys to perform a “response inhibition” task in which the animals were required to cancel a planned motor action based on information about the salience of a visual cue, and a “decision-making” task in which the animals were required to decide whether to choose an option based on information about the value of the option. We recorded neuronal activity from dopamine neurons and neurons in dopamine-related brain regions while the monkeys were performing the tasks. In the response inhibition experiment, we found that the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway plays a crucial role in canceling a motor action by signaling salience information. In the decision-making experiment, we found that dopamine neurons are involved in the “value-to-choice transformation” process in which option’s value information is transformed into monkey’s choice command about whether to choose the option.
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| Free Research Field |
神経科学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
ドーパミンニューロンは報酬情報を伝達する中枢として注目されてきた。一方、ドーパミン神経系の異常は、パーキンソン病やうつ病、統合失調症など、さまざまな神経疾患、精神疾患に深く関係し、報酬機能障害（意欲低下など）に限らず、運動機能障害や認知機能障害を引き起こす。本研究は、行動抑制や意思決定などの高次脳機能を実現するドーパミン神経回路機構を明らかにしたものであり、なぜドーパミン関連疾患で報酬機能以外の機能が障害されるのかを理解する上で重要な知見を与えている。この研究成果を基に、精神疾患のバイオマーカー探索や新たな治療法の開発が進むことが期待される。
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