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1994 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Biopsychological study on learning deficits in chronic vitamin E-deficient rats

Research Project

Project/Area Number 05610055
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field 実験系心理学
Research InstitutionUniversity of Tsukuba

Principal Investigator

ICHITANI Yukio  Institute of Psychology, University of Tsukuba, Associate Professor, 心理学系, 助教授 (80176289)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) IWASAKI Tsuneo  Institute of Psychology, University of Tsukuba, Professor, 心理学系, 教授 (70092509)
FURUKAWA Satoshi  School of Pharmacy, Hoshi University, Lecturer, 講師 (70229110)
Project Period (FY) 1993 – 1994
Keywordsvitamin E / learning / memory / acetylcholine / rat
Research Abstract

We have already reported the possibility that chronic vitamin E deficiency causes learning impairment. In this study, we first investigated the biochemical changes of central nervous system mediating this learning impairment with special reference to the brain cholinergic neuron system, since this system has been shown related to learning and memory. Rats were fed vitamin E-deficient [VE (-)], -supplemented [VE (+)], or control food beginning after the age of 4 weeks until 24 months. At this time serum and brain vitamin E concentration was significantly different between 3 groups. Choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase activities measured as markers for brain cholinergic function were not affected by long-term vitamin E deficiency and supplementation in all brain regions measured. Thus results showed that chronic vitamin E deficiency did not lead to lower levels of activity in brain cholinergic enzymes.
Next we investigated the histological changes in the peripheral nervous system and behavioral changes in response to noxious stimulus. Rats were fed 3 kinds of diet mentioned above and they were tested with flight responses to electrical foot shock at the age of 9 months. Rats fed VE (-) diet showed significantly lower sensitivity to the foot shock compared with VE (+) and control groups. According to a histological observation of the spinal dorsal root ganglia, the number of neurons in VE (-) group was not different from that in other 2 groups. However, the location of satellite cells surrounding these neurons tended to be disordered. Thus our results suggest learning impairment in passive avoidance response caused by chronic vitamin E deficiency may partly come from the lower shock sensitivity associated with peripheral nervous system dysfunction.

  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All Other

All Publications (6 results)

  • [Publications] Ichitani Yukio: "Cholinergic neurons contain Calbindin-D_<28k> in the monkey medial septal nucleus and uncleus of the diagonal band." Brain Research. 625. 328-332 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 山田 一夫: "ラットの受動的回避反応と血中コルチコステロンの日内リズム" 心理学研究. 65. 173-180 (1994)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 野中 博意: "AF64A投与による脳内アセチルコリン系損傷動物の行動に関する研究の動向" 筑波大学心理学研究. 17. 9-17 (1995)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Yukio Ichitani et al.: "Cholinergic neurons contain Calbindin-D_<28k> in the monkey medial septal nucleus and nucleus of the diagonal band : an immunocytochemical study" Brain Research. 625. 328-332 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kazuo Yamada et al.: "Diurnal variation in passive avoidance response and serum corticosterone in rats" Japanese Journal of Psychology. 65. 173-180 (1994)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Hiroi Nonaka et al.: "Behavioral effects of brain cholinergic dysfunction induced by AF64A : A review" Tsukuba Psychological Research. 17. 9-17 (1995)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 1999-03-16  

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