Roles of AMPK signaling on memory extinction by chronic exercise in rats with low spatial learning ability

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01748
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Nakamura Gakuen College
• Principal Investigator: Nakano Hiroshi 中村学園大学, 教育学部, 教授 (60301678)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 運動 / 学習 / 記憶 / AMPK / PGC-1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether chronic exercise after the spatial memory acquisition by aversive stimulation causes extinction of the spatial memory and changes of protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγcoactivator-1α（PGC-1α） and 5´adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinaseα（AMPKα） using rats with low spatial learning ability. The rats with low spatial learning ability have been low PGC-1α and AMPKα expression.　In rats with low spatial learning ability, the retention of the spatial memory by Morris water maze has been reduced by chronic running exercise, and PGC-1α and AMPKα in dorsal hippocampus has increased. It is suggested that AMPK signaling may plays an important role in memory extinction by chronic exercise in rats with low spatial learning ability, though the further investigation of the relationship between memory extinction and AMPK signaling is needed.

Free Research Field

スポーツ生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的な特色として，記憶の消去過程に及ぼす走運動の影響を検証することが挙げられる。その際，精神・神経疾患の要因の1つに脳のミトコンドリア機能不全が挙げられていることから，発達神経症モデルラットを用いることにより，症状緩和に対する運動効果のメカニズムが解明されるとともに，発達神経症児へ運動指導や運動療法にスポーツ科学的な視点が加わり，スポーツ科学研究と精神・神経疾患研究に貢献するものと期待する。また，記憶の消去過程の研究は，心的外傷後ストレス（PTSD）の予防と治療の観点からも注目されている分野である。