2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Construction of novel strategy for identifying effective anti-dementia drugs from traditional medicines
Project/Area Number |
16H05275
|
Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
|
Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
|
Research Institution | Takasaki University of Health and Welfare (2017-2019) University of Toyama (2016) |
Principal Investigator |
Fukuchi Mamoru 高崎健康福祉大学, 薬学部, 准教授 (40432108)
|
Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
|
Keywords | BDNF / 抗認知症 / スクリーニング / 伝統医薬品 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
BDNF plays an important role in expression of higher brain functions such as learning and memory. Lower brain BDNF level is thought to be associated with dementia including Alzheimer's disease. Here we constructed a novel screening assay to identify neuronal BDNF expression, and found a series of active agents from traditional medicines. Furthermore, one of them increased hippocampal BDNF levels in mice and enhanced hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Taken together, our novel screening assay is beneficial for identifying candidates of anti-dementia drugs.
|
Free Research Field |
分子神経科学
|
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
超高齢化社会に突入した我が国において、認知症対策は急務である。本研究は、抗認知症戦略を構築する上でターゲットの一つとなりうるBDNFに着目した研究であり、神経細胞におけるBDNF発現を誘導する物質を迅速・簡便に探索可能な新たな方法である。この方法は、治療薬のシーズとなる化合物だけでなく、植物や天然物の抽出物の活性も評価可能である。そのため本研究は、将来的には、抗認知症薬の候補探索だけでなく、加齢に伴う脳機能の低下を予防・改善する機能性食品の開発にも貢献することが期待される。
|