Brain pH in animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07378
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51030:Pathophysiologic neuroscience-related
• Research Institution: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: Hagihara Hideo 藤田医科大学, 医科学研究センター, 講師 (80514504)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 脳pH / 神経精神疾患 / モデル動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The International Brain pH Project Consortium, led by the principal researchers, conducted comprehensive analysis of the pH of the brain and lactate concentration, which is assumed to be involved in the pH changes, in various strains/types of mice and rats, including neuro-psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. From this large-scale analysis, it became clear that the pH of the brain shows a very high negative correlation with lactate concentration, supporting the idea that an increase in lactate concentration contributes to a decrease in pH (Hagihara H. et al., bioRxiv 2021; https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.02.428362v2). Furthermore, by integrating and analyzing the data from comprehensive behavioral analysis of mice, the functional significance of changes in brain pH and lactate concentration was estimated.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳のpH・乳酸濃度の変化を引き起こす代謝異常は、様々な神経・精神疾患モデル動物に共通して生じる現象であることが明らかとなった。これらの脳内の異常は疾患横断的な中間表現型であることが示唆され、これらの知見は神経・精神疾患の病態解明の基盤となることが期待される。