Development of a technique of manipulation of neural circuit in primates

Research Project

Project/Area Number	17H02224
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Brain biometrics
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	Higo Takayasu 京都大学, 医学研究科, 講師 (10396757)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥17,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,960,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000)
Keywords	霊長類 / 高次脳機能 / 前頭前野 / ウイルスベクター / 操作技術 / 神経科学
Outline of Final Research Achievements	It has been suggested that the higher brain functions in primates including human are regulated by a highly developed cerebral cortex, in particular, functional interaction across multiple brain regions. However, the underlying circuit mechanisms of the higher functions remain elusive, because of the difficulties to generate a method of selectively manipulating the interaction between brain sites. In this research project, we mainly focus on a functional interaction between prefrontal cortex and inferior temporal cortex to regulate attention, and in order to identify circuits and neural activities, we developed a technique to manipulate a specific network by a gene expression induction of tetanus toxin.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	本研究の意義は、国際的に停滞していた霊長類の脳機能制御研究のブレイクスルーとなることが期待され、神経科学分野の研究を特に回路や細胞レベルで発展させる点である。また得られた知見は、心理学、教育学などの霊長類の認知機能を扱う幅広い学問領域の議論を活性化すると考えられる。一般社会へのインパクトとして、高齢化社会における認知機能の低下や学童期の学習や自閉症、注意欠陥が関心を集める中、前頭前野に関する本研究の知見は広く一般に受け入れられ、前頭前野研究の重要性の認知に貢献すると考えられる。