The role of Lynx1 in the recovery of motor function in the chronic phase of stroke

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24312
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: NAKANISHI Toru 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (00848492)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 脳卒中 / 神経可塑性 / リハビリテーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

While motor paralysis caused by ischemic stroke partially recovers during the acute and subacute phases, it does not recover well during the chronic phase. This is thought to be because the reorganization of neural circuits around the infarcted area gradually becomes less likely to occur, but the specific mechanism is unknown. In this study, we focused on Lynx1, which controls the critical period in the visual cortex, and examined the possibility that Lynx1 regulates the reorganization of neural circuits. We found that Lynx1 is expressed in pyramidal neurons as well as in inhibitory interneurons. We also evaluated Lynx1 expression changes before and after cerebral infarction, and found that Lynx showed temporal changes in expression around the infarct area.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在、Lynx1の発現を制御することによって、脳梗塞後慢性期における運動機能回復を促進できるかを検証中である。脳梗塞後急性期には血栓溶解療法や血栓除去療法などが効果を上げる一方で、慢性期に有効な治療法は乏しい。したがって、今後の研究成果によって脳梗塞後慢性期における治療法が確立できれば、脳梗塞患者の予後が改善することが期待できる。本研究期間内での結果は、上記の成果に繋がる基礎的な知見であると考える。