2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Study of the mechanisms underlying stress vulnerability and emotional response in aging

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21730609
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Experimental psychology
Research Institution	Fujita Health University (2010) National Institute for Longevity Sciences,NCGG (2009)
Principal Investigator	SHOJI Hirotaka Fujita Health University, 総合医科学研究所, CREST研究員 (00466278)
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2010
Keywords	加齢 / ストレス / 行動 / 情動 / 前頭前野 / 扁桃体 / 縫線核
Research Abstract	The present study examined the brain mechanisms underlying stress vulnerability and emotional response in aging. Behavioral analysis indicated that aged rats and mice showed increased anxiety-like behavior and deficits in cognitive functions compared to young animals. Chronic stress induced further increase in anxiety-like behavior and stress hormone response in aged animals but not in young ones. Histochemical and neurochemical analyses indicated that aged rats might have neurotransmission dysfunction in the brain circuit involved in the stress and emotional responses. These results suggest that aging induces the vulnerability to stress with accompanying high anxiety and is associated with the changes in the underlying brain mechanisms.