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2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Elucidation of neuronal mechanisms of pleasant/unpleasant emotion underlying behavior responses to temperature

Planned Research

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Project AreaIntegrative understanding of biological phenomena with temperature as a key theme
Project/Area Number 15H05934
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Review Section Biological Sciences
Research InstitutionHokkaido University

Principal Investigator

MINAMI Masabumi  北海道大学, 薬学研究院, 教授 (20243040)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 柴崎 貢志  群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (20399554)
Project Period (FY) 2015-06-29 – 2020-03-31
Keywords温度 / 情動 / 行動性体温調節 / 脳内温度 / TRPV4
Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that hot and cold environments activate the neural circuits for negative emotion projecting from the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) to the nucleus accumbens, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA). Real time measurement of neuronal activity was performed in the PVT. It was demonstrated that hot and cold environments enhanced noradrenergic neurotransmission in the BNST and that the activation of neuronal projections from the BNST to the CeA induced negative emotion. An evaluation system for behavioral thermoregulation in mice was developed. It was shown that local temperature is elevated in the epileptogenic brain region and that TRPV4, which senses brain temperature, senses the elevated temperature in the epileptogenic region and exacerbates epilepsy. We have established a method for monitoring the temperature distribution in brain slice preparations by injecting temperature-sensitive fluorescent polymers.

Free Research Field

神経薬理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

行動性体温調節のメカニズム解析のための評価系を構築するとともに、行動性体温調節の基盤となる快・不快情動の暑熱・寒冷環境による惹起に関与すると考えられる脳部位および神経路を明らかにした。さらに、てんかん原性域で脳内温度が上昇していること、脳内温度を感知するセンサー分子TRPV4が温度上昇を感知することで、てんかん病態を増悪させることを明らかにした。これらの研究成果は、生体の恒常性維持に重要な行動性体温調節機構の一端を明らかにしただけでなく、てんかんの治療にも役立つ新しい知見を提供するものである。

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Published: 2021-02-19  

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