1995 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Functional characteristics and mode of information processing of the higher and lower neurons monosynapticaly linked in the ascnding sensory tract
| Project/Area Number |
06807147
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Functional basic dentistry
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| Research Institution | Aichi-Gakuin University Dental School |
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Principal Investigator |
SATOH Toyohiko Dental School Aichi-Gakuin University Prof., 歯学部, 教授 (80064830)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
FUJISAWA Hiromi Dental School Aichi-Gakuin University Instructor, 歯学部, 助手 (20241143)
YOKOTA Tatsuko Dental School Aichi-Gakuin University Instructor, 歯学部, 助手 (70192416)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1994 – 1995
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| Keywords | Taste / Single neuron activity / Synaptic connection / Cortical gustatory area / Cross-correlation / Facial tactile sensation / Trigeminal nucleus / Thalamic medial ventro-posterior nucleus |
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| Research Abstract |
1.Study of the gustatory system : It is highly probale that the central gustatory neurons show correlated discharges to represent different taste qualities. In order to verify this assumption we have inserted multiple glass micropipettes into the gustatory cortex of anesthetized rats and made simultaneous recording of three or more taste-responsive neurons. The temporal relationship of the activity of two neurons was analyzed by calculating cross-correlation functions. (1) When the gustatory stimuli were changed, the magnitude of cross-correlation with a partner neuron could change independently of that with another partner. This would suggest that the local neuronal circuits responsible for synchronization can be reorganized in a dynamic fashion to encode different taste qualities. (2) When a neuron had two partners for synchronization, about 20-30% of the spikes discharged synchronously with one partner were also synchronous with another partner. This would mean that different neuronal groups can sometimes be assembled to generate larger groups.
2.Study of the tactile system : Simultaneous recording was made to look for the trigeminal and thalamic neurons that respond to mechanical stimulation of the whiskers and make mono-synaptic connection. The spike activity of the thalamic neurons was displayd with the spikes of the trigeminal neurons. It was found that the fluctuation of synaptic transmission is of the order of 3 ms and the safety rate of synaptic transmission is 0.6-0.8.
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