Functional evaluation in animal models of radiosurgical brain lesions

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560454
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Masaki 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 教授 (90301887)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KUNIMATU JUN 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (50632395) ; TAKEYA RYUJI 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (00756322)
• Research Collaborator: ISHIKAWA MASAYORI 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 教授 (80314772) ; MIYAMOTO NAOKI 北海道大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (00552879)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 霊長類 / 事象関連電位 / X線照射 / 脳疾患モデル / 眼球運動 / 行動評価 / 化学遺伝学 / 小脳

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Experimental technique to produce focal brain lesions may provide opportunities for future research exploring mechanisms of brain function and recovery from injury. As a candidate method, we evaluated the radiosurgical technique. We also tried to develop behavioral and electrophysiological techniques to examine subcortical brain functions, and explored new methods to generate focal brain lesions. We evaluated the oculomotor behavior in monkeys up to 8 months following irradiation to the frontal eye field. In addition, we have developed several behavioral tasks and a method to record cortical potentials through epi-dural electrodes, both of which are usable to detect subcortical dysfunction. Further, we performed a feasible study of chemogenetic application to monkeys by injecting a viral vector into the cerebellum. Through these studies, we could obtain valuable information for future studies.

Free Research Field

システム神経生理学、認知神経科学