Development of a rat model of unilateral spatial neglect

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12611
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: Takeda Kotaro 藤田医科大学, 保健学研究科, 准教授 (50618733)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宮坂 裕之 藤田医科大学, 医療科学部, 研究員 (00440686) ; Orand Abbas 藤田医科大学, 藤田記念七栗研究所, 助教 (10612591) ; 水谷 謙明 藤田医科大学, 共同利用研究推進施設, 講師 (30351068) ; 岡田 泰昌 独立行政法人国立病院機構村山医療センター(臨床研究部), 電気生理学研究室, 室長 (80160688)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 半側空間無視 / DMSO / 細胞毒性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Unilateral Spatial Neglect (USN) is one of the cognitive dysfunctions after stroke and appears mainly as a symptom that neglects the left side after cerebrovascular disease in the right hemisphere. For a more consistent basic study of medications to treat the USN, animal models are still necessary. However, there is little way to assess the USN in rodent models. This study, therefore, we propose a system to evaluate the degree of USN from the behavior of the model rats. On the other hand, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is an organic solvent frequently used in medication, may have toxicity to inhibit the rat behavior. Then, we also identified the safe dose range of DMSO.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

半側空間無視（USN）は患者の日常生活活動を未自立レベルに留め在宅復帰を困難にさせる要因のひとつである．しかしヒトでは損傷部位がさまざまであり，症状も運動機能障害など多岐にわたる．そこで損傷部位を統一したモデル動物による検討が必要となるが，USNをはじめとした高次脳機能障害を評価できるシステムは殆ど報告されていない．そこで本研究では，モデル動物においてUSNを評価するシステムを提案する．