2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Molecular Research on Environmental Influence on Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis
| Project/Area Number |
13470195
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Psychiatric science
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| Research Institution | University of Yamanashi (2003)
山梨医科大学 (2001-2002) |
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Principal Investigator |
KANBA Shigenobu University of Yamanashi, Interdisciplinary Graduate school of medicine and Engineering, Professor, 大学院・医学工学総合研究部, 教授 (50195187)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KUDO Koutarou University of Yamanashi, Interdisciplinary Graduate school of medicine and Engineering, Research Associate, 大学院・医学工学総合研究部, 助手 (50345708)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | stress / environment / hippocampus / neurogenesis / nitric oxide / serotonin transporter / estrogen / prolactin releasing hormone |
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| Research Abstract |
Stress vulnerability is in part caused by long term influence from environment. Poor early environment is known to cause trait of anxiety and impaired cognitive function afterward. However, the precise mechanism is unknown. We decided to investigate the mechanism underlying long term influence by environment on brain development.
We have carried our below stated research.
1) By using twin methods, we determined contribution of genes and environments to development of personality. We found about 30-40% of our personality is determined by genes. Non-shared environment has strong contribution as compared to shared environment.
2)Serotonin transporter gene is known to be associated with the trait of anxiety. We investigated association between the polymorphism of the gene and binding potential of transporter in vivo human brain that is measured by PET.
3)We studied neurochemical functions of stress related chemicals such as nitric oxide, brain estrogen, prolactin releasing peptide, orexine, amyloid P component.
We focused hippocampal functions in stress response and tried to answer to some questions below.
1)How does environment stress impairs hippocampal functions including neurogenesis at molecular levels?
2)How does Interferon that is know to cause depression clinically damage hippocampus?
By understanding these mechanisms, what can we do to repair these aspects of pathology?
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