2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Role of zinc on the maintenance of sensory perception in oral region
Project/Area Number |
15K11007
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
Morphological basic dentistry
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Research Institution | Osaka University |
Principal Investigator |
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Research Collaborator |
Kawano Akiyo
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Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
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Keywords | 感覚異常 / 亜鉛 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Recently number of patients with taste disorder increases gradually. It is known that zinc deficiency causes taste disorder. In the present study, the effect of zinc on the maintenance of sensory perception in oral regions was examined using experimental animals with dietary-induced zinc deficiency. When animals were fed with low zinc diet, increase in body weight was suppressed, and zinc contents in serum were decreased. These experimental animals showed behavioral abnormality against bitter stimulation. Immunohistochemisty of c-fos indicated the decreased number of neurons in parabranchial nucleus, one of the relay nuclei in gustatory system, response to bitter stimulation. These changes were more apparent in young animals.
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Free Research Field |
神経科学
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
低亜鉛飼料で飼育した動物において口腔感覚受容機構を検討した結果、味覚受容の異常、特に苦味に対する忌避行動手低下が行動学的に明らかになり、また味覚情報の伝達経路においても苦味に応答する神経活動の低下が組織学的に明らかとなった。この食事による味覚障害は正常飼料に戻すことにより回復することが分かった。さらに、低亜鉛の影響は幼弱動物ほど重篤であった。このことは幼若期のバランスの取れた栄養供給が味覚を含めた感覚受容機構の発達や維持に重要なことを示している。
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