Establishment of neuronal activation-iuduced manganese-enhanced MRI method and elucidation of neural networks underlying social behavior in non-human primates

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19632
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Katsuki 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 教授 (70243110)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 脳機能イメージング / マーモセット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, quantitative manganese-enhanced MRI (qMEMRI) method has been used in rodents to visualize neural activity in a whole brain and to quantify the differences between tasks. In this project, we aimed to apply the qMEMRI method to a small new-world primate, Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). To establish the methods, we explored the dosage and acute toxicity of manganese chloride solutions for administration to marmosets and investigate the possibility of multiple session for each subject. To evaluate the usefulness of the method, we also adjusted the dosage whether the enough contrast will be obtained to visualize the neural activity in the test conditions.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

マーモセットはげっ歯類と比べると使用頭数に限りがあり、疾患モデルの脳機能評価としてはより低侵襲性の手法が望まれる。神経賦活マンガン造影MRI法ではマンガンを注入してから自由行動下で負荷をかけ、その後のMRI撮像自体は麻酔下で実施できることが大きな利点である。この①低侵襲で、②MRI装置のコストが少なく、③直接の脳活動を可視化できる神経賦活マンガン造影MRI法をマーモセットで確立する一歩を進めたことは、将来非ヒト霊長類の脳機能マップの作製や精神神経疾患モデルの脳機能評価に繋がると考える。