2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Investigating the role of individual dopaminergic reward neurons for locomotion
| Project/Area Number |
22K20673
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
0704:Neuroscience, brain sciences, and related fields
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| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Locomotion / Dopamine / Drosophila |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Across the animal kingdom, dopamine neurons are well known for signalling reward during associative learning, and for modulating movement. In this project, we studied the role of individual dopamine neurons for modulating locomotion in the larva of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In particular, we were investigating whether the very same dopamine neurons are responsible for signalling reward and for modulating locomotion.
Indeed, we found that a group of dopamine neurons known for their reward-signalling function decreased bending and increased velocity in larvae. In contrast, dopamine neurons signalling punishments increased bending and decreased velocity. By feeding a dopamine-synthesis inhibitor we confirmed that these effects are indeed dependent on dopamine signalling.
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| Free Research Field |
Neuroscience
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
ヒトやその他の動物において、ドーパミン作動性ニューロンは報酬の伝達と運動の制御の２つの役割を担っていることが知られている。しかし一般的には、これら２つの機能はそれぞれ異なるドーパミン作動性ニューロン群が関与していると考えられてきた。
本研究は、ショウジョウバエの幼虫においては、同一のニューロンが両方の機能を担うことを明らかにした。ドーパミン系はヒトを含めあらゆる動物でよく似た機構を共有していることから、本研究が将来的にはヒトの脳を理解するための足掛かりとなることが期待される。ドーパミン系は、パーキンソン病や依存症などの解明のための鍵となるシステムである。
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