MRI analysis of olfactory neurocircuits that discriminate odor and pheromone signals

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26450129
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied biochemistry
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshinaga Sosuke 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(薬), 講師 (00448515)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TERASAWA Hiroaki 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(薬), 教授 (10300956) ; TOUHARA Kazushige 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科, 教授 (00280925)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 匂い / フェロモン / 脳・神経 / ＭＲＩ / 嗅覚 / 嗅球

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Olfaction is one of the most important perceptions for animals to receive information from their environments, such as in case of species preservation and danger avoidance. The information is transmitted through odor and pheromone substances, resulting in emotional, behavioral or physiological changes.
Here, we successfully observed odor responses that were evoked by odor and pheromone-like substances in the mouse whole brain, using functional MRI methods. Our developed analytical procedure efficiently identified mouse brain regions in which MR signal changes were synchronized with the periodic odor stimulations. Unique brain regions were activated by each odor and pheromone-like substance.

Free Research Field

ＮＭＲ，ＭＲＩ