To elucidate the brain mechanisms of non-pharmacological treatment of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16434
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Uekusa Gakuen University (2018-2019); Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Science (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Kaku Masami 植草学園大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (30646261)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: アルツハイマー病 / 認知機能障害 / 習慣的運動 / 社会的孤立

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aβ-infused rats caused impairment of memory retention, while learning memory was intact. In this study, I have experimentally demonstrated that: (1) isolation rearing in adulthood hastens the onset of reference memory deficit in Aβ-infused rats; and (2) acquisition and reversal learning in the Barnes maze task were better facilitated by voluntary exercise than by forced exercise, likely via elevated BDNF in neurons of the hippocampus and the frontal cortex.
I hope that this result gave evidences such as “prevention of social isolation in adulthood” and “health promotion by habitual exercise” mainly provided by nursing care services.

Free Research Field

行動神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢化社会となって久しい我が国における認知症の社会的コストは上がり続け、基礎研究の推進とエビデンスに基づいたケアの充実が急務である．根治・対症療法において薬物的治療の研究は基礎実験を中心に積極的に行なわれている。一方、アルツハイマー病（AD）を代表とする認知症患者に対して行われる非薬物的介入が認知機能にどのような影響を及ぼすのか、その脳内メカニズムについての基礎研究は十分に行われていない。本研究では介護予防事業などをきっかけに始まった「閉じこもり防止」と「運動処方」 という2つの非薬物的介入に焦点を当て、これらの介入がADの認知機能障害に及ぼす影響を調べている点で社会的意義は大きいと言える。