2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Elucidation of the dysfunction of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus with bipolar disorder model mouse

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24791247
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Psychiatric science
Research Institution	Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
Principal Investigator	KATO Tomoaki 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, 研究員 (40598439)
Project Period (FY)	2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
Keywords	精神疾患
Research Abstract	We previously generated transgenic mice that express mutant form of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase in their forebrain neurons. These mice showed bipolar disorder-like phenotype and accumulated deleted mitochondrial DNA in the several brain regions including the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT). To clarify the characteristic features of the PVT, we performed gene expression analysis of the PVT and other brain regions which have been suggested the involvement in bipolar disorder by using microarray. As a result, we found that the genes related to mitochondrial function, especially oxidative phosphorylation, and cholesterol biosynthesis were highly expressed in the PVT compared with the other brain regions.

(3 results)