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1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

The role of noradrenaline receptors in working memory processes of the prefrontal cortex

Research Project

Project/Area Number 08680889
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 神経・脳内生理学
Research InstitutionHokkaido University

Principal Investigator

SAWAGUCHI Toshiyuki  Hokkaido University, Dept.of Psychology, Assistant professor, 文学部, 助教授 (00183830)

Project Period (FY) 1996 – 1997
KeywordsNoradrenaline / alpha_2-receptor / Working memory / Iontophoresis / Local injection / Prefrontal cortex / Memory guided saccade / Monky
Research Abstract

Working memory is a brain system for the temporary storage and manipulation of information, and is critical for various cognitive operations, such as reasoning, planning and problem-solving. Whereas it is well known that dorsolateral regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are involved in working memory, its neurochemical basis is poorly understood yet. Recently, noradrenaline and its alpha_2-adrenergic receptors in the dorsolateral PFC have been implicated in working memory, but direct or significant evidence on this hypothesis is lacking.
To address this problem, we have performed a series of study in monkeys ; 1) studies combining intracerebral microinjections of noradrenaline antagonists with an oculomotor delayd-response (ODR) task, and 2) studies combining iontophoretic analysis of noradrenaline with single-neuron recording during the ODR task. The ODR task is sensitive to working memory, and a subset of PFC neurons show directional delay-period activity which represents a "memory … More filed" for visuospatial working memory processes.
In the present studies, we found that 1) local injections of yohimbine, an alpha_2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, into the dor S olateral PFC induced a specific deficit on ODR performance, whereas alpha_1-adrenergic receptor anatagonist prazosin or beta-adrenergic receptor anatagonist propranolol did not have any clear effect ; and 2) iontophoretic applications of yohimbine, but not prazosin or propranolol, attenuated significantly and preferentially directional delay-period activity in PFC neurons during ODR performance.
These findings are first to provide significant and direct evidence on the involvement of alpha_2-adrenergic receptors in working memory processes mediated by the dorsolateral PFC.Sufficient/adequate activation of alpha_2-adrenergic receptors in the dorsolateral PFC are suggested to be required for maintaining/facilitating neuronal activities for working memory processes ; without such an activation, working memory is attenuated or lost and behavioral tasks requiring this cognitive function are poorly performed. Since dysfunction of alpha_2-adrenergic receptors in the PFC is evident in working memory deficits which accompany some mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and Korsakoff's amnesia, as well as aging, the present data may be useful for understanding, at the cellular level, cognitive deficits/declines associated with such mental disorders and aging. Less

  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All Other

All Publications (12 results)

  • [Publications] Sawaguchi, T.: "Attenuation of delay-period activity of prefrontal cortical neurons by an α_2 adrenergic antagonist during an oculomotor delayed-responsetask in monkeys." J. Neurophysiol. (Accepted). (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Sawaguchi, T.: "Attenuation of preparatory activity for reaching movements by a D1-dopamine antagonist in the monkey premotor cortex." J. Neurophysiol. 78. 1769-1774 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Sawaguchi, T.: "Functional modular organization of the prefrontal cortex for representing working memory process." Cognitive Brain Res.5. 157-163 (1996)

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      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Swaguchi, T., Yamane, I.and Kubota, K.: "A GABA antagonist,bicuculline,applied to the premotor cortex reduces an ability to withhold reaching movements in visually guided reaching task of well-trained monkeys." J.Neurophysiol.75. 2150-2156 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Matsumura, M, Chen, D.F., Sawaguchi, T., Kubota, K., and Fetz, E.E.: "Synaptic interactions between primate precentral cortex neurons revealed by spike-triggered averaging of intracellular membrane potentials in vivo." J.Neurosci.16. 7757-7767 (1996)

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      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Sawaguchi, T.and Kubota, K.: "Modulatory role of D1-dopamine receptors inmnemonic coding of monkey prefrontal cortical neurons." Soc.Neurosci.Abstr.22. 166.1 (1996)

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      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 澤口 俊之: "「私」は脳のどこにいるのか" 筑摩書房, 216 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 澤口 俊之: "脳と心の進化論" 日本評論社, 233 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Katsuyuki YAMAMOTO et al.: "Ultrasonic measurement for quantitative evaluation of arteriosclerosis" Proceedings of Electrical Communication Lab.Symposium of Tohoku University. 36. 151-161 (1998)

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      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Nobuki KUDO et al.: "Ultrasound Attenuation Measurement of Tissue in Frequency Range 2.5-40 MHz Using a Multi-Resonance Transducer" 1997 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings. 1181-1884 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Nobuki KUDO et al.: "Measurement of the Wall Thickness of the Carotid Artery Using Ultrasound Radiofrequency Echo Signals" Jpn J.Med.Ultrasonics. 25-3 (in print). (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Xu ZHANG et al.: "Theoretical Analysis on Measurement of Displacement and Velocity Vectors with a Single Focused Ultrasound Beam Using a Time-Domain Correlation Technique" Jpn J.Med.Ultrasonics. 25-3 (in print). (1998)

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Published: 1999-03-16  

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