2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Hypothalamic neural circuit controls parental behavior in female and male mice.
| Project/Area Number |
19K12738
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 90030:Cognitive science-related
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| Research Institution | Nippon Medical School |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | 養育行動 / メラニン凝集ホルモン / オキシトシン / 養育回路 / DREADD / オプトジェネティクス / γアミノ酪酸 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We showed that neurons expressing melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) are more active in rodents of both sexes when exhibiting parental nursing behavior. Genetic ablation of the LHA-MCH neurons impaired maternal nursing. The post-birth survival rate was lower in pups born to female mice with congenitally ablated MCH neurons under control of tet-off system, exhibiting reduced crouching behavior. Virgin female and male mice with ablated MCH neurons were less interested in pups and maternal care. Chemogenetic and optogenetic stimulation of LHA-MCH neurons induced parental nursing in virgin female and male mice. LHA-MCH GABAergic neurons project fibers to the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) neurons. Optogenetic stimulation of PVN induces nursing crouching behavior along with increasing plasma oxytocin levels. The hypothalamic MCH neural relays play important functional roles in parental nursing behavior in female and male mice.
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| Free Research Field |
神経科学行動学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
MCHニューロンからOXTニューロンへの神経回路を新たな養育回路として明らかし、MCHニューロンの脱落変性によって、養育行動抑制が引き起こされる事を明らかした。社会性行動においては、OXTの「信頼ホルモン・絆形成」ホルモンといった側面が提唱されている。MCHとOXTが養育回路を形成することが明らかになり、OXT作用のポジティブな側面を保証している一方で、MCH-OXT 神経の相互作用が、養育行動のスイッチングを担っており、攻撃や無視といった雌雄の行動抑制を誘起すると考えられる。これら、神経メカニズムを解明することは、ネグレクトや虐待を含むヒトの社会性行動をひもとくことにつながると考えられる。
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