Mechanisms underlying spacing effect of memory

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560382
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: ENDO Shogo 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究部長 (60192514)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YANAI Shuichi 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (60469070) ; ARASAKI Tomoko 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 技術員 (90645855)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 記憶 / 学習 / リハビリテーション / 小脳 / 一酸化窒素 / 活性酸素種 / 眼球運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Motor learning is a basis for the physical rehabilitation. The spaced training efficiently forms long-term memory compared to the massed training. The existence of spacing effect in memory mechanisms indicates the importance of the inter-trial-interval (the rest). The mechanisms underlying long-term during the inter-trial-interval, however, is largely unknown. In this research, first, we established the long-term adaptation of optokinetic response as a simple model of motor memory. Then, we demonstrated the 30 and 60 min inter -trial-interval works efficiently for the formation of the long-term adaptation. In addition, we analyzed reactive oxygen species-nitric oxide pathway as a potential system underlying spacing effect and identified components of the pathway in the cerebellum, the center of motor learning.

Free Research Field

神経科学