Molecular-anatomical research on multi-modal regulation of synaptic transmission in higher brain regions

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24220007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE MASAHIKO 北海道大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (70210945)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 崎村 建司 新潟大学, 脳研究所, 教授 (40162325)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Yamasaki Miwako 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 講師 (10431305) ; Miyazaki Taisuke 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (90374230) ; Konno Kohtarou 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (20599641) ; Uchigashima Motokazu 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (10614662) ; Kano Masanobu 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (40185963) ; Shigemoto Ryuichi 生理学研究所, 大脳皮質機能研究系, 教授 (20221294) ; Kobayashi Kazuto 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90211903)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-05-31 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: シナプス / 入力選択性 / 標的選択性 / 活動依存性 / グルタミン酸 / GABA / ドパミン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

state-dependent manners. We found that TARP and GluD families play important roles in input-, target cell-, activity-dependent regulations in the cerebellum and hippocampus. In the cortex and cortex-like amygdala, CCK-positive interneurons expressing VGluT3 constructed unique invaginating synapses, which were also characterized by intense expression of endocannabinoid signaling molecules to powerfully drive activity- and state-dependent disinhibition. Furthermore, so-called ‘dopamine synapses’ are important for state-dependent controls of motor and cognitive functions. We address that dopamine synapses were neuroligin-2-mediated heterologous contacts formed between dopaminergic presynapse and GABAergic postsynapse, from which we propose the third mode of neural transmission, anchored transmission, in addition to classical modes of wired and volume transmissions.

Free Research Field

神経解剖学