Large-scale neural activity recordings and a holistic understanding of the brain

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Holism in neuroscience: Large-scale recording and simulation
• Project/Area Number: 21H05135
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Transformative Research Areas, Section (III)
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Hira Riichiro 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 准教授 (80712299)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-23 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 大規模計測 / 2光子カルシウムイメージング / 電気生理学 / ドーパミン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we developed techniques for multiple recording and control of the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and superior colliculus, and applied these techniques to awake animals to advance systems neurophysiology. We established an experimental system for measuring dopamine concentration using fiber photometry and measured it in the striatum. We found striatum-location dependent dopamine dynamics during a reward-related task. By combining Neuropixels multi-point electrodes and a custom-made multi-point optical stimulation system, we measured neurons in the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and superior colliculus when the cortex was stimulated. We found a synchronization mechanisms of these structures. A Diesel2p mesoscope was developed for wide-field two-photon calcium imaging.

Free Research Field

脳神経系

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では神経伝達物質特異的な蛍光観察法、Neuropixels多点電極とDiesel2pメゾスコープによる脳深部構造と大脳皮質の多領野を含む大規模活動記録、光遺伝学による大脳皮質の多点刺激法の開発により、大脳皮質・大脳基底核・小脳・中脳を観察・制御下においた多重記録実験を構築し、脳の全体性原理の理解を進めることができた点で学術的意義がある。また、ドーパミンの基底核における役割はパーキンソン病などの病態解明に繋がらい、脳の広域ループ構造間の同期機構の解明は精神疾患の病態解明の新し視点を提供する意味で、社会的な意義がある。