An Attempt to Detect a Neural Activity Change during Eyeblink Conditioning in Monkeys with PET Imaging

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590068
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Tokushima Bunri University
• Principal Investigator: KIRINO YUTAKA 徳島文理大学, 薬学部, 教授 (10012668)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ISHIMOTO Yasushi 徳島文理大学, 香川薬学部, 准教授 (90441592) ; KUBOTA Takashi 徳島文理大学, 香川薬学部, 助教 (90412402)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YAMAMOTO Shigeyuki 浜松ホトニクス(株), 中央研究所, 研究員 (10382201) ; SUZUKI Kazutaka 浜松ホトニクス(株), 中央研究所, 研究員 (20394190)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 生物物理化学 / 瞬目反射条件付け / 学習・記憶 / サル / PET

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a system which enables us to measure eyeblink conditioning in a monkey species (Macaca mulatta) with a brain size suitable for PET imaging. Eyeblinking was monitored simultaneously by orbicularis oculi electromyographic measurements and a high-speed camera. This system based on the two different principles yielded an interesting finding that the probability of observing a conditioned response in a given trial was not influenced by whether the monkeys closed their eyelids just before conditioned stimulus, suggesting that this memory could be expressed independently of wakefulness.
We tried to gain PET imaging using a selective agonist cannabinoid-1 receptor tracer [11C]CB-119. However, the attempt was not completed due to the limited availability of expensive animals and PET ligands. Nevertheless, this study presents a novel system for cognitive assessment in monkeys that will be useful for elucidating the neural mechanisms of implicit learning in nonhuman primates.

Free Research Field

神経科学