2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Neural mechanisms underlying behavioral flexibility
| Project/Area Number |
22K15633
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
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| Research Institution | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University |
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Principal Investigator |
Sarpong Gideon 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 神経生物学研究ユニット, ポストドクトラルスカラー (00837198)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Acetylcholine / Striatum / Reversal learning |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Daily living often requires individuals to flexibly adapt to new changes in the environment. Several studies have suggested that the striatum is part of the neural network that supports flexible behaviors such as reversal learning. The goal of this study was to clarify the striatal mechanisms governing reversal, focusing on nature of the activity of acetylcholine (ACh) in response to changes in reinforcement contingencies. To this end, I employed a virtual reality behavioral task combined with in vivo 2-photon imaging of ACh dynamics. Following the reversal, it was uncovered that the encoding of negative outcomes was associated with increases in ACh transients with distinct spatiotemporal dynamics, suggesting that violations of previously learned contingencies triggered ACh release in the striatum. Overall, results of this study will revise the current understanding of the fundamental roles of ACh and the pathology of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by perseverative behaviors.
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| Free Research Field |
Neuroscience (Motivation and decision-making)
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
By enhancing our understanding of cognitive processes underlying adaptive behavior, the results of this study also holds potential implications for fields such as psychology, neurology, and artificial intelligence, contributing to the broader conversation about adaptability in complex systems.
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