PET study on the association between brain sex steroid system and human emotion

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830024
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Kayo 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, ライフサイエンス技術基盤研究センター, 上級研究員 (90462697)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: PET / ヒト / aromatase / 気質 / 性ホルモン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Studies on the association between human personality and sex hormones in the brain have not been performed so much, and little is known about the association. We have developed a novel PET probe, 11C-cetrozole, to observe brain aromatase, an enzyme converting androgen to estrogen. Clinical PET study was performed and showed sex difference and indifference in the association between brain aromatase level and personality. Females might have the association between the amygdala and hypothalamus and aggression etc., and males might have the association between the cortices and harm avoidance etc. The thalamus was the common region which might have the association with cooperativeness in both females and males.

Free Research Field

神経科学