Establishment of brain imaging method of awakened mice using GRIN lenses to explore the critical period of taste

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K10236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57070:Developmental dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Saitama Children's Medical Center (2021-2022); Nihon University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Takei Hiroki 埼玉県立小児医療センター (臨床研究部), 歯科, 医員 (50632543)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 藤田 智史 日本大学, 歯学部, 教授 (00386096) ; 山本 清文 日本大学, 歯学部, 講師 (30609764) ; 中谷 有香 日本大学, 歯学部, 助教 (60781391)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 味覚 / 臨界期 / プリズム光学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to establish a method to measure the firing patterns associated with the development of a group of neurons in mice while awake, when various taste substances are ingested, and to verify the existence of a "critical period" in the gustatory cortex. We tried to establish a method for inserting a 6-mm GRIN lens, but it was very difficult to maintain the imaging field of view due to postoperative hemorrhage and tissue regeneration. Therefore, an optical prism was inserted into the temporal region of the brain, and an imaging method of the gustatory cortex through the prism was developed. We have developed a technique for chronic experiments that is much less invasive to animals, and can measure calcium responses in the awake state.

Free Research Field

成長および発育系歯学関連

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回，光学プリズムによる動物に対する侵襲度合いを大幅に抑えた慢性実験用の手技を開発し，慢性的に動物の状態を良好に維持しつつ覚醒状態でカルシウム応答を計測することが可能となった。しかしながら，皮質表面における組織再生の問題は完全に解決しておらず，研究期間中に「味覚の臨界期」を決定する当初の実験計画を実行するまでには至らなかった。今後，皮質表面組織再生等の問題を解決することにより「味覚の臨界期」の解明を行うことの一助になると考えられる。