2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Elucidation of neural circuit mechanisms underlying autonomic and behavioral controls of body temperature and metabolism
| Project Area | Integrative understanding of biological phenomena with temperature as a key theme |
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| Project/Area Number |
15H05932
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Review Section |
Biological Sciences
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| Research Institution | Nagoya University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
山田 哲也 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (90400374)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-06-29 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 体温 / 代謝 / 神経回路 / ストレス / 情動 / 栄養 / 多臓器連関 / 本能行動 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Thermal homeostasis, which is the nature to maintain internal body temperature within a narrow range, is particularly essential for homeothermic animals including humans, because all biological reactions and functions are affected by temperature. This study was performed to elucidate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying autonomic and behavioral controls of body temperature and metabolism. Specifically, we succeeded in the discoveries of the central ascending neural pathways that transmit thermosensory information for behavioral thermoregulation, the central circuit mechanism that drives hunger responses, and the central psychosomatic mechanism that connects the brain circuits processing psychological stress and emotion with those controlling vital functions. These circuit mechanisms we discovered not only underlie thermal homeostasis, but also function for the defence of life from a variety of environmental stressors.
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| Free Research Field |
生理学、神経科学、自律神経学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
本研究で明らかにした脳の神経回路メカニズムは、人間を含めた哺乳類の生命維持に必須の温熱恒常性の基盤をなす仕組みであるとともに、様々な環境ストレスから生命を守るために機能する根源的な生体システムである。このことから、基礎医学における大きな学術的意義を有する。また、本研究で明らかにした行動性体温調節の仕組みは熱中症の発症機序の理解に、飢餓反応の仕組みは拒食症、肥満、糖尿病の発症機序の理解に、そして心身相関の仕組みはストレス関連疾患の発症機序の理解にそれぞれ有用である。したがって、本研究で得た知見は、これらの病態の克服に寄与するという社会的意義を有する。
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