Associative memory between object and place in hippocampus using virtual reality and in vivo two-photon calcium imaging

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: MIZUTA KOTARO 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 (60632891)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: トランスジェニックマウス / 二光子レーザー顕微鏡 / 可塑性 / 記憶・学習 / 場所細胞 / 報酬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to elucidate activity of cell assembly in hippocampus during association of object and place information. For the purpose, we imaged neuronal activities during the learning using transgenic mice that express a fluorescent calcium sensor protein G-CaMP7 in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Mice stayed the correct target of three targets for 2 sec to receive reward in a virtual linear track. While the animals navigate through the track, a population of neurons exhibited place-cell like activity. In addition, another group of neurons demonstrated time-locked activity while the mice stayed at the target zone. The representation of target was stable: some of them remained multiple days and still responded even reward zone were relocated. These results indicate that information with higher value is more stably represented in subpopulations of neurons in hippocampal CA1 than that without value.

Free Research Field

神経生理学・神経科学一般