Identification of proteins in cerebrospinal fluid associated with characteristic brain changes of psychiatric disorders

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10234
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Ota Miho 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 疾病研究第三部, 客員研究員 (00582785)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: MRI / PET

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Diffusion-weighted imaging has rapidly advanced its clinical application in the late 1990's because it can delineate hyperacute cerebral infarction. In addition, the diffusion kurtosis image that can find the subtle change of brain structure, as compared with the conventional index, was developed in recent years. We have used this diffusion kurtosis image in healthy subjects, patients with major depression, and patients with bipolar disorder and clarify the disease-specific regional brain changes.
In addition, we evaluated the change of brain inflammation in major depressive disorder model rats using with [11C] (R)-[1-(2-Chlorophenyl)-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide], and the differences before and after modeling for depression were clarified by positron emission tomography (PET).

Free Research Field

画像精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回注目した拡散尖度画像は被験者に対する侵襲もほとんどなく、安定で量的な測定が可能である。脳形態画像情報という中間表現系の検討することで、精神疾患に特徴的に生じた変化が発症の原因および経過の何れと関連するプロセスなのかを今後あきらかにできるものと考える。さらに、positron emission tomographyのような精神疾患モデル動物を対象としたin vivoでの評価系が確立されれば、新規の抗精神病薬の開発などにおいて非常に有益と考えられる。