2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Analysis of mechanisms by which circadian clocks affect mood
| Project/Area Number |
24650161
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Neuroscience in general
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
SANADA Kamon 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50431896)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
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| Keywords | 概日時計 / 養育活動 / セロトニン |
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| Research Abstract |
Circadian clocks control physiological and behavioral rhythms. In mice, nursing behavior show a clear diurnal rhythm that is governed by the circadian clock. Importantly, maternal care influences the development of emotional behavior of the offspring. We found that circadian clock-disrupted mutant mice (Clock mutant mice) display the altered daily pattern of nursing behavior. Wild-type mice fostered by Clock mutant mice exhibit increased anxiety-related behavior. This is coupled with reduced levels of brain serotonin at postnatal day 14, a critical regulator for maturation of normal anxiety-modulating circuits during the postnatal development. Thus, disruption of the circadian clock in mothers has an adverse impact on establishing normal anxiety levels, which may suggest the increased risk of anxiety disorders in offspring of mothers with diurnal rhythm disturbance.
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