Identification of new neural circuits in the cerebellum and analysis of their physiological functions

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06926
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46020:Anatomy and histopathology of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Mitsuhiro Hashimoto 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90311357)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 小脳 / 内側傍小脳脚核 / 視床下部外側野 / アデノ随伴ウイルスベクター / 神経回路

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is known that many diseases (e.g., spinocerebellar degeneration) that involve damage of the cerebellar vermis or degeneration of the cerebellar vermis cause abnormalities in the sleep-wake cycle resulting in severe sleep disturbances. The observations suggest that the cerebellum is involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. However, it has not been clarified what kind of neural basis (neural circuits and systems) the cerebellum uses to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. In this study, we identified a novel neural circuit that suggests the cerebellum is involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小脳虫部の損傷や小脳虫部の変性を伴う多くの疾患（脊髄小脳変性症など）では，睡眠-覚醒サイクルの異常が起こり，重度の睡眠障害（不眠症，日中における抵抗しがたい過度の眠気，レム睡眠行動障害，睡眠時無呼吸症）が生じることが知られている。本研究は、小脳が睡眠－覚醒サイクルの調節への関与を示唆する新規神経回路を同定した。小脳虫部の損傷と重度の睡眠障害の神経基盤が明らかとなり、重度の睡眠障害に対する新たな治療対象を示唆している。