2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Comprehensive analysis of brain mechanisms for active touch
| Project/Area Number |
15H04266
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Nerve anatomy/Neuropathology
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| Research Institution | Osaka University (2017-2018)
Kyoto University (2015-2016) |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
田中 琢真 滋賀大学, データサイエンス学部, 准教授 (40526224)
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| Research Collaborator |
Hioki Hiroyuki
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
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| Keywords | シゲシステム / 運動制御 / 感覚情報処理 / アクティブタッチ / 回路構造 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
To investigate mechanisms of active touch, we need to integrate multiple research approaches which cover broad fields including motor control and sensory processing. This project exploits rodent vibrissal system which is the very excellent tactile apparatus. Because rats actively move their vibrissae and touch objects by the vibrissae, this system is a good model for active touch system. Here, we performed three subprojects.
<Subproject 1>: We revealed correlations between structures and activities of motor control circuits in the cortex and superior colliculus. <Subproject 2>: We revealed coding and transduction properties of identified primary tactile afferents. <Subproject 3>: We revealed the influence of the corticothalamic pathways on the firing mode and sensory gain of thalamic neurons.
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| Free Research Field |
システム神経科学、神経解剖学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
一つのシステムの中に感覚受容と運動制御の要素を同梱しているヒゲシステムを利用し、形態学的解析を軸としながら生理学的解析などの方法とも有機的に組み合わせてメカニズムの本質に迫る結果が得られた点は意義深い。形態学的データについては、これまで他の研究の基盤となるべき知見が不足していた状況であったが、本研究では中枢から末梢にかけて信頼性の高い形態学的構築のデータを提供した点で重要である。
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