Plastic mechanisms of functional domains in the mouse brain that underlie odor-guided motivation behaviors

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46030:Function of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Yamaguchi Masahiro 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系基礎医学部門, 教授 (60313102)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 谷口 睦男 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系基礎医学部門, 准教授 (10304677) ; 村田 芳博 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系基礎医学部門, 助教 (40377031)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚 / モチベーション / 行動学習 / シナプス可塑性 / 神経調節因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Odor information can be linked to attractive or aversive behavior based on the odor experience and learning processes. However, plastic mechanisms of olfactory neural circuit for this odor learning is not well understood. We have recently revealed specific olfactory regions of mouse brain which participate in the attractive or aversive odor learning. Here we have discovered that synaptic inputs to the specific regions are plastically modulated in a region-specific manner depending on the odor learning, and that neuromodulators act on the regions and regulate odor behaviors. These results will facilitate the understanding of basic mechanisms of learning-dependent synaptic plasticity and contribute to our healthful life by appropriately utilizing and controlling our odor experience and learning.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

嗅覚は生物の生命維持や種の繁栄に関わる極めて重要な感覚であり、私たちの記憶や感情にも直結している。本研究によって、嗅覚行動が経験・学習によって変化し、また様々な調節因子によって調節される神経機構を明らかにすることは、行動制御の神経機構の基礎的理解を深め、更には私たちの匂い記憶や匂いの感情を適切に扱うことにより、心身ともに健康な生活を送ることに貢献できると考えられる。