Effect of the neuromodulator in the prefrontal cortex

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24730641
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yumiko 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 人間情報研究部門, 主任研究員 (20425739)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 前頭前野 / アセチルコリン / 光イメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since the spatiotemporal dynamics of the frontal neuronal activity after the stimulation of the basal forebrain is unknown, we addressed this issue by using voltage-sensitive dye imaging of frontal neural activity evoked by electrical stimulation of the basal forebrain. As a result, voltage-sensitive dye imaging represented by a single-pulse stimulation of the basal forebrain elicited a short-latency excitatory response in the　frontal cortex. After application of the acetylcholine receptor antagonist, neural response was spread across a wide area of the frontal cortex and presented a prolonged latency, compared to control condition. Meanwhile, the excitatory response was blocked after the glutamate receptor antagonist application. These results suggested that the basal forebrain-evoked specific excitatory response was attributed to the interaction of cholinergic and glutamatergic projections in the frontal cortex.

Free Research Field

神経科学