Neural circuits involved in switching escape/attack behavior

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K07265
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University (2023); Jikei University School of Medicine (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Takada (Morishima) Mieko (森島美絵子) 同志社大学, 脳科学研究科, 准教授 (30435531)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 扁桃体 / 興奮性細胞 / 興奮-抑制バランス / 抑制性細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To clarify the information processing system involved in switching between escape/attack behaviors, we focused on the parabrachial nucleus, which projects to the ventral medial nucleus of the hypothalamus. Life-sustaining information is sent from the parabrachial nucleus to c via axons under stressful or threatening environments. On the other hand, the parabrachial nucleus also projects axons to the central nucleus of the amygdala, which is known to send information related to emotions such as aversion. In this study, we investigated excitatory neurons in the lateral amygdala, which is known to provide excitatory input to the central nucleus of the amygdala. We found that there are two types of excitatory neurons with different responses in aversive learning, and that they have different information processing systems.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

恐怖を感じる際に活動する扁桃体で、学習後に情報伝達の仕組みが変化することを明らかにした。嫌悪学習を行ったマウスの脳スライスを用いて、扁桃体の神経細胞には2つのタイプがあり、恐怖を学習する際に異なる情報処理が行われていることが明らかになった。本成果は、心的外傷後ストレス障害 （PTSD）等のメカニズムの解明に大きく貢献することが期待される。