The functional control of thalamostriatal circuit and the understand the mechanism of animal learning behavior

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25702053
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Shigeki 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (90443879)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SANO HIROMI 生理学研究所, その他の部局等, 助教 (00363755) ; FUKABORI RYOJI 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (40457784)
• Research Collaborator: SUGAWARA MASATERU 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 技術補佐 ; KANEMATSU MAKIKO 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 技術補佐 ; SAWADA NAGISA 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 技術補佐
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 行動柔軟性 / 実行機能 / 視床線条体路 / 特定神経路機能操作

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although associative learning happens during learning processes associated with novel stimuli through trial and error, it still remains unclear. We addressed the roles of the pathways originating from central lateral nucleus (CL) in the intralaminar thalamic nuclei in mice. The CL-originated neuronal attenuation did not alter the acquisition of visual discrimination, whereas it disturbed transiently the selection accuracy and lengthened the response time. In addition, the mice impaired the reversal of response discrimination and the set shifting from visual discrimination to response discrimination. Our data suggest that the thalamostriatal systems are involved in cognitive function of basal ganglia circuitry, and that these two circuits possess distinct roles in the control of behavioral selection and flexibility. Furthermore, the subcircuits of basal ganglia including the thalamic nuclear groups that mediate discriminative learning appear to shift during the processes of learning.

Free Research Field

分子細胞神経科学、行動神経科学