Daily diets acts as a regulator of the brain and mental systems.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K00897
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Setsunan University
• Principal Investigator: YABE TAKESHI 摂南大学, 薬学部, 教授 (40239835)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 荒木 良太 摂南大学, 薬学部, 講師 (90710682)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 葉酸欠乏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we assessed whether post-weaning folate deficiency affect neurological and psychological function. The low folate diet-fed mice showed depression-like behavior in the forced swim test. In the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, decreased number of newborn mature neurons and increased number of immature neurons were observed in low folate diet-fed mice. Staining with Golgi-Cox method revealed that dendritic complexity, spine density and the number of mature spines of neurons were markedly reduced in the DG of low folate diet-fed mice. Stress response of neurons indicated as c-Fos expression was also reduced in the DG of low folate diet-fed mice. These results suggest that reduction in the degree of maturation of newborn hippocampal neurons underlies folate deficiency-induced depressive symptoms.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において、葉酸欠乏性うつの発症機序として海馬歯状回における神経新生の異常が関与することを明らかとすることが出来た。本研究成果は、うつ病態における葉酸の重要性を示すものであり、適切な量を摂取することの重要性を啓蒙することにより、うつ病の予防や治療に貢献できることが期待される。