The Roles of Dopamine on Prefrontal Cortical Neoteny

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26640044
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: GOTO YUKIORI 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 准教授 (10645584)
• Research Collaborator: LEE YOUNG-A Catholic University of Daegu, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Assistant Professor ; YAMAGUCHI YOSHIE 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 大学院生 ; KATO AKEMI 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 技術補佐員 ; OGAWA SHINO 京都大学, 人間環境学研究科, 研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ドーパミン / 前頭前皮質 / 社会認知 / 社会階級

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to be the center of brain areas that mediates highly complex cognitive functions. However, how the PFC has evolved to acquire such complex brain functions remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of dopamine (DA), one of neurotransmitters employed in the PFC, on social cognition in rodents and non-human primates, who are under social group housing, and elucidated some insights how DA may drive evolution of the PFC-dependent brain functions.

Free Research Field

神経精神薬理学