Studies on the adaptive behavioral strategies associated with animal learning and memory

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K06341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: Tottori University (2020); Gakushuin University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: INOUE Takeshi 鳥取大学, 医学部, 准教授 (40391867)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 環境適応 / 環境応答 / 環境変化 / 行動生理 / 腸-脳軸 / 定量行動 / プラナリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Even subtle changes in environmental factors can significantly impact animal behavior, affecting interspecies interactions and ultimately impacting the ecosystem. However, the ways in which animals with complex behaviors, governed by neural processes, adapt to environmental changes remain largely unknown. The freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica, which responds keenly to environmental cues. Planarians are thus ideal subjects for exploring how environmental changes influence specific animal behaviors. Our study reveals that signals from the peripheral pharyngeal nervous system to the brain, along with the sensitivity of chemosensory neurons directly modulated by environmental chemical factors, critically influence individual feeding behaviors related to growth and survival. These findings highlight the central role of the peripheral nervous system in regulating individual planarian behavior.

Free Research Field

行動生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

動物行動における環境適応性の複雑な作動原理については大部分が不明である。本研究では、環境変化に伴ってプラナリアが出力行動を適応的に選択する現象に着目し、その機構を非常に単純な原理として理解しようとする点が独創的であり、学術的に意義深い。また、水生生物であるプラナリアの行動様式の機構に関する研究は、SDGsの「産業と技術革新の基盤をつくろう」および「海の豊かさを守ろう」という目標に貢献する。