Exploration of human brain-specific structures through direct examination of human brain itself

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24650179
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nerve anatomy/Neuropathology
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUDA Takaichi 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部, 教授 (50253414)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ヒト脳 / 海馬 / 腹側線条体 / 脳室下帯 / 記憶

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Every researcher in neuroscience will agree that the final goal of the study is to understand the human brain. However, due to various restrictions regarding the use of human brains, experimental animals are instead used for sophisticated researches. On the other hand, not so much attention has been payed to detailed structure of the human brain. The present study aimed to find the human brain-specific structures that can be elucidated only by directly analyzing the human brain itself. Complete serial sections were prepared from brain hemispheres, processed for histological studies, and analyzed using computer-assisted three-dimensional tracing system. We found novel modular structures in the human hippocampus that did not exist even in monkey brains. The modules showed periodical patterns inside the hippocampus that have not been described so far. Moreover, we also revealed human-specific structures in the ventral striatum (olfactory tubercle) and in the rostral migratory stream.

Free Research Field

神経解剖学