Basic research on elucidation of neurocircuit pathology of depression and its remodeling mechanism

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H02552
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yamawaki Shigeto 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科, 特任教授 (40230601)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 淵上 学 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 助教 (40403571) ; 吉野 敦雄 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 特任助教 (90633727)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Okamoto Yasumasa 広島大学, 大学院医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 教授 (70314763) ; Okada Go 広島大学, 大学院医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 講師 (10457286) ; Hashimoto Koichi 広島大学, 大学院医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 教授 (00303272) ; Morioka Norimitsu 広島大学, 大学院医歯薬保健学研究科(薬), 教授 (20346505) ; Yamawaki Yosuke 広島大学, 大学院医歯薬保健学研究科(歯), 助教 (90584061)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Depression

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of the present study is to reveal the distinctive neural activities in the pathophysiology of depression and to develop the new treatment which re-models neural circuit. Our outcomes were as follows: 1) the identification of depressive-specific human functional connectivity such as the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, 2) the identification of behavioral changes by neural activities in the rat prefrontal cortex, 3) the association between behavioral changes in the rat and electrophysiological changes in the rat prefrontal cortex, and 4) based on the above outcomes, the development of neurofeedback treatment and the improvement of functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex by its treatment. More work is needed to further modify the methodology of neurofeedback.

Free Research Field

Neuroscience on depression