Regulatory mechanism of basal ganglia circuit in reward and aversive behavior and decision-making

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23680034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2012-2014); Osaka Bioscience Institute (2011)
• Principal Investigator: HIKIDA Takatoshi 京都大学, 医学研究科, 特定准教授 (70421378)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 大脳基底核 / 神経回路 / 報酬行動 / 忌避行動 / 可塑性 / 意思決定 / ドーパミン受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We evaluated regulatory mechanism of basal ganglia circuit in reward and aversive behavior and decision-making, using reversible neurotransmission blocking technique, in which transmission of the direct and indirect pathways was selectively and reversibly blocked. We have found that the activation of D1 dopamine receptors and the inactivation of D2 dopamine receptors postsynaptically control reward and aversive behavior in a direct pathway-specific and indirect pathway-specific manner, respectively. Furthermore, we have revealed that reward and aversive behavior is regulated by pathway-specific neural plasticity via selective transmitter receptors in the basal ganglia circuit.

Free Research Field

神経科学、精神医学