Molecular mechanism of age-related memory impairment improved by melatonin

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07434
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Yukihisa Matsumoto 東京医科歯科大学, 教養部, 助教 (60451613)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: メラトニン / 加齢性記憶障害 / 長期記憶 / フタホシコオロギ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, I investigated functional mechanisms of melatonin in long-term memory formation and whether melatonin improves age-related memory impairment. The results suggest that AMK, a melatonin metabolite within the brain, is crucial in the long-term memory formation process, and that melatonin/AMK signaling pathway functions downstream of NO-cGMP pathway which has already been reported to be involved in the process. The capability of long-term memory formation in crickets shows daily fluctuation, higher in the night than during the daytime. From the results, melatonin/AMK signaling pathway is suggested to also play a role in this circadian variation. In addition, I demonstrated that AMK improves age-related memory impairment.

Free Research Field

神経行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた、「メラトニンの脳内代謝産物が記憶の形成に重要であり、また加齢性記憶障害を改善する」という結果はすべての生物種において初めての報告である。またこれらの現象は代表者らのグループによるマウスを使った実験系でも再現することができた。よって本研究で得られた知見は、ヒトの加齢性記憶障害を改善する新薬の開発にもつながると期待できる。