Visual experience-dependent genetic and functional changes in mouse auditory cortex

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06947
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46030:Function of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Soka University
• Principal Investigator: Kawai Hideki 創価大学, 理工学部, 教授 (90546243)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: crossmodal plasticity / visual loss / cholinergic modulation / auditory processing

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have examined the effects of visual deprivation on the functional and morphological properties of primary auditory cortex and attempted to exhaustively examine gene expression of individual layer 4 neurons and single gene expression cortical layer-exhaustively. Visual deprivation did not induce clear changes in intrinsic membrane properties and action potential properties in layer 4 pyramidal neurons. However, we found a novel effect of nicotinic regulation in thalamocortical synapses of inhibitory neurons. Also, it became apparent that neuronal morphologies must be considered for nicotinic regulations of excitatory synapses. Meanwhile, our attempt to examine mRNA expression in single neurons faced a roadblock, and technical improvement is required for successful analysis. Meanwhile, we successfully developed a gene expression analysis technique for cells across cortical layers.

Free Research Field

神経機能学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一次聴覚皮質第４層興奮性ニューロンへの興奮性シナプス入力における視覚喪失による影響は先行研究で報告されていた。本研究で、そのニューロンの膜特性自体への影響が観察されなかったことから、主にそれ以外のニューロンでの生物学的変化が示唆された。そのため、今回確立した皮質層網羅的な遺伝子発現解析方法は、クロスモード可塑性の学術分野に貢献するものと考える。また、視床皮質系神経回路における、新たなニコチン性制御機構の解明は、認知機能に重要なコリン作動性制御機構の理解に一石を投じるものである。こうした大脳皮質における可塑的、機能的制御機構の解明は、認知症における新たな治療法の確立に寄与すると考える。