Investigation of pathogenic mechanisms and Kampo medicine-based preventive and therapeutic strategy for ADHD using an epigenetic animal model.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15269
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: MATSUMOTO KINZO 富山大学, 和漢医薬学総合研究所, 教授 (10114654)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Suresh Awale 富山大学, 和漢医薬学総合研究所, 准教授 (00377243) ; 藤原 博典 富山大学, 和漢医薬学総合研究所, 助教 (10396442) ; 堀 悦郎 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 教授 (90313600)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 隔離飼育 / エピジェネティックモデル / 注意欠陥多動性障害 / 自閉症スペクトラム障害 / 発達障害 / 漢方薬 / 神経ステロイド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated pathogenic mechanisms of ADHD-related developmental disorder (DD) and effects of yokukansan (YKS) and keishito (KST), which are used for neuropsychiatric symptoms and cold of kids, respectively, on the disorders using socially isolated (SI) mice as an epigenetic model. SI-induced attention deficit was improved by YKS but not KST. However, when administrations of YKS and KST were started from early stage of SI, YKS and KST attenuated SI-induced DD-like behaviors. The effects of YKS and KST were due to improvement of neurosignaling systems in the hippocampus, suggesting that the administration of YKS and KST in early stage of development are beneficial for ADHD-related DD. Based on the finding that SI reduces the brain allopregnanolone (ALLO) contents, the effects of SKF105111, an ALLO biosynthesis inhibitor, on behavior was examined. The decrease of ALLO content by SKF105111 induced sociability deficit. Thus, it is likely that the decrease of ALLO is implicated in DD.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学