Examination of neural basis for attachment behavior in rat pups: focusing on suckling, maternal contact and Transport Response

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17074
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Ohmura Nami 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳神経科学研究センター, 研究員 (50735082)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 愛着行動 / 吸乳行動 / 嗅覚システム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We narrowed down the brain regions for attachment behavior in the rat pups. The results indicated that part of the olfactory bulb may be involved in suckling behavior and part of the ventral region of forebrain may be involved in maintaining contact with their mother.
Further studies on the requirement of the olfactory system in rat pup's suckling behavior revealed that the olfactory bulb itself is essential for suckling behavior, rather than peripheral olfaction, in postnatal day 12 pups. Suckling behavior in these pups were also more dependent on the olfactory system than that in neonates. Therefore, it is suggested that multiple senses including olfaction are integrated within the olfactory bulb by the learning of suckling behavior, and the neural circuits are fixed in the early postnatal period.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子は生後早期からの親との関係を通じて社会性学習を行い、この関係が子にとって将来の複雑な社会行動の基礎となる。子の愛着行動は親子関係を築き上げるために重要であるにもかかわらず、その脳神経基盤はほとんど解明されていない。愛着行動は仔ラットだけに限らず広く哺乳類に見られる行動であるため、その脳神経基盤が明らかになることで、哺乳類全般の愛着行動の神経基盤の理解が進むことが期待される。