Elucidation of interoceptional neural circuits that modulate emotion related to fear memory

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K06730
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Sekiguchi Masayuki 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 疾病研究第四部, 室長 (80260339)
• Research Collaborator: YAMADA Daisuke
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 内環境受容 / 神経回路 / 迷走神経 / 孤束核 / 分界条床核 / 情動 / 不安 / 恐怖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent findings suggest that afferent vagal nerves are major neural pathways linking the gut with the brain. These pathways are important for interoception, the sensing of the internal state of the body. However, the links between the brain and vagal afferents in other visceral organs are unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we investigate the link between hepatic vagal nerves and emotional behaviours. The activation of hepatic vagal nerves by overexpression of the transcription factor PPARgamma in the liver alleviated the elevated anxiety in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Our immunohistochemical analysis suggests that neuronal activities in the nucleus tractus solitarius and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis are influenced by the hepatic vagal nerve afferents. Collectively, our findings suggest that the hepatic vagal nerve transmits a signal from the fat-laden liver to brain regions that regulate anxiety.

Free Research Field

情動神経回路の研究