Elucidation of the neural mechanisms that determine diurnal and nocturnal behavior in mammals

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19255
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Daisuke Ono 名古屋大学, 環境医学研究所, 講師 (30634224)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 概日リズム / 神経回路 / 行動リズム / 視交叉上核

Outline of Final Research Achievements

When considering the output from the suprachiasmatic nucleus to sleep-wake behavior, it is known that neural activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is enhanced during the daytime, even though the time zones of behavior are reversed between day and night in diurnal and nocturnal animals. This study aims to clarify the neural mechanisms responsible for diurnal and nocturnal behavior by combining various imaging techniques. So far, we have verified that it is possible to measure specific neural activities through the development of bioluminescence imaging tools. However, the mechanisms that determine diurnal and nocturnal behavior have not yet been elucidated.

Free Research Field

時間生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現代社会において、２４時間いつでも活動する事ができるようになった一方、睡眠障害を抱える人が年々増えてきている。いかにして概日時計のペースメーキングを整えるか、またそこからの出力を調節できるかが、睡眠障害を治療する上で重要な点となる。動物の昼行性・夜行性メカニズムを明らかにする本研究は、これらの多くの問題を解決する糸口になる可能性がある。本研究からこれらの新たな治療法の開発が期待される。