Fundamental research for understanding the working memory during locomotion

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560295
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: YANAGIHARA Dai 東京大学, 総合文化研究科, 准教授 (90252725)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHIURA Shouichi 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (10158743)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 作業記憶 / アルツハイマー病 / 歩行 / 障害物回避動作 / マウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The working memory system involving the body schema that represents the geometry of the body with respect to the external environment, for example, obstacles and/or objects close to the body, could have a key role in regulating stepping movements during locomotion. This study demonstrates the importance of memory-guided limb control for stepping over an obstacle during locomotion, and the memory-guided limb movements in stepping over an obstacle were impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model mouse.
We used the triple transgenic (3xTg) mice to examine the effects of memory deficits in terms of tripping and contact with obstacles. We found that the frequency of contact of the hindlimbs during an obstacle avoidance task increased significantly in 10-13 month-old 3xTg (Old-3xTg) mice compared with
control mice. Furthermore, using an interrupted obstacle avoidance task, we found that Old-3xTg mice showed severe deficits in their working memory.

Free Research Field

運動生理学