A Comprehensive Theoretical Survey on Functionalities and Properties of Adult Neurogenesis under the Influence of Slow Oscillations

2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16885
• Research Institution: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
• Principal Investigator: Fung ChiChung 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 神経情報・脳計算ユニット, 研究員 (80757203)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Adult Neurogenesis / Pattern Separation / Detate Gyrus

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In the last year, the principal investigator (PI) has engaged in the proposed research as well as the related researches collaborated with collaborators.

In the proposed research, the proposed neurogenesis model is implemented according to previous works (including the PI's work and others' experimental works). In the current setting of the model, the dendrites of the newly born dentate gyrus (DG) neurons can perform dendritic competitions among each other. A simple scoring measure and an entropic measure were developed to compare different situations. Also, the model is now capable to perform some of the desirable properties, e.g. memorizing assigned patterns. However, there are still some investigations needed to clarify the function of the model.

Besides the main research work, the principal investigator has also engaged in other related collaborations. The principal investigator has jointly proposed a model on long-term plasticity, which is closely related to memory formation. Also, to maximize the utilization of the purchased facility, the principal investigator has implemented his data analysis program to a GPU variant. This variant should be able to accelerate the analysis throughput.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

The progress of the project is fairly on the course. The principal investigator has fixed the model and developed the measure for model comparison as planned.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

In the coming year, the principal investigator will fine-tune the model to match the know experimental results. It will be an important step to enable comparison with the experiment and provide experimentally testable results. The principal investigator will also make a variant that is machine-learning-orientated. It is also an important change to make the model applicable to real-world data.

Causes of Carryover

The incurring amount will be used for attending conference in Japan and Other countries.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Orchestrated ensemble activities constitute a hippocampal memory engram (2019)
  • Author(s): Ghandour Khaled、Ohkawa Noriaki、Fung Chi Chung Alan、Asai Hirotaka、Saitoh Yoshito、Takekawa Takashi、Okubo-Suzuki Reiko、Soya Shingo、Nishizono Hirofumi、Matsuo Mina、Osanai Makoto、Sato Masaaki、Ohkura Masamichi、Nakai Junichi、Hayashi Yasunori、Sakurai Takeshi、Kitamura Takashi、Fukai Tomoki、Inokuchi Kaoru
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: 10 Pages: 2637
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10683-2
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access