Neural circuit mechanism of flexible decision-making

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02803
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Ryo 京都大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (70817931)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 意思決定 / オプトジェネティクス / 大規模神経活動デコーディング / マカクサル / 報酬とリスク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to understand the brain mechanism of how neural circuit dynamics flexibly change and integrate information for decision-making. In order to achieve this goal, the researcher selectively activated the VTA-6V pathway in macaque monkeys while they perform a high risk-high return (HH) versus low risk-low return (LL) choice task. The involvement of the VTA-6V pathway in decision-making was also examined by utilizing decoding analysis. Furthermore, the researcher have achieved constructing an unprecedented experimental system that optically stimulates the areas of 6V, OFC, dACC, and VTA, while simultaneously recording these areas in each combination. While working on this experiment, the researcher has been examining the effects of activation of specific pathways on other large-scale pathways to understand the mutual roles of each brain area and how the neural circuit changes from moment to moment in flexible decision-making.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳深部も含めた複数脳領野における多数神経活動からのデコーディング解析と、光遺伝学的手法を組み合わせて神経回路特異的に意思決定の脳機能の解を得ることは、世界初の試みであり、学術的意義が高い。巨大脳における皮質領域間のトップダウン、ボトムアップ経路の機能的意義が解明され、感覚情報から運動情報への神経回路網が可視化でき、認知神経科学に新たな展開が生まれると期待される。また、霊長類における皮質下から皮質への広汎な投射系の制御により意思決定を外因的にコントロールできるようになれば、「意思決定」の障害が顕著な症候である精神疾患の治療など臨床応用も含めた新たな分野の開拓が期待される点に社会的意義がある。