Influences of stresses to motor learning

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01603
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: KATOH Akira 東海大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70546746)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 木村 穣 東海大学, 医学部, 教授 (10146706)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ストレス / 運動学習 / 眼球運動 / コルチコトロピン放出因子 / 室傍核 / トレーニング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to approach the mechanisms of influences of stresses to motor leaning. We found that restraining stresses impaired motor learning of the VOR in mice and that such impaired motor learning was improved by the selective suppression of PVN neurons during stress using optogenetics. These results suggest that CRF molecules released from PVN neurons, which is known to initiate stress responses, negatively affect on motor learning, although CRF has also been known to be essential in the cerebellum for the cerebellum-dependent motor learning. It is interesting that CRF molecules work deferentially on motor learning, depending on where they are, and how we would reduce stresses to generate better training methods for sports or rehabilitation should be considered.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

効果的な運動学習を行なうためには、トレーニングの強度だけでなく、いかにストレスを調節するかが重要であることは経験的に知られているが、運動学習の効率に及ぼすストレスの影響については行動学的・心理学的アプローチが多く行なわれており、その神経回路メカニズムの詳細については不明な点が多い。本研究で得られた、同じ CRF 分子が脳内の発現個所により運動学習に対して逆方向の働きを担うという結果は、将来的にスポーツやリハビリテーションにおける効果的なストレス抑制につながる意義深い結果となった。