2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Control of neural activity by stealth stimulation
| Project/Area Number |
17K20090
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Biomedical engineering and related fields
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 聴覚野 / 電気刺激 / 微小電極アレイ |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We designed an experimental system to measure micro-electrocorticograms with 4×4 epi-dura electrodes implanted in the temporal cortex in a head-fix preparation of awake rats. We conditioned rats to report their auditory perception by pulling a lever, then recorded their behavior and cortical activities when we provided sound stimuli, thalamic microstimulation, or co-stimulation. Consequently, one of the tested rats exhibited lever-pulling behavior and cortical positive potential in response to the thalamic microstimulation, while costimulation using strong or weak microstimulation increased or decreased its lever-pulling activity, respectively. These results indicate that the parameter of thalamocortical microstimulation should be carefully considered when used in the modulation of auditory perception.
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| Free Research Field |
神経工学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
脳内で表現されている情報が，すべて主観的な「意識」にのぼるわけではない．そうならば，どのような活動パターンが，意識にのぼりやすいのだろうか，あるいは逆に，意識にのぼりにくいのだろうか？ 意識に関わる脳活動パターンの知見は年々蓄積されている．これらの知見を治療や産業に生かすためには，脳活動と意識的な知覚との相関関係にとどまらずに，両者の因果性に踏み込まなければならない．そのためには，脳に直接的に刺激を与えることで生じる知覚を調べればよい．脳への直接刺激の断続的な効果や長期間に渡る慢性的な効果を調べるためには，げっ歯類による動物実験が最も有効であると考えた．
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