Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying memory update system

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23220009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Inokuchi Kaoru 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 教授 (20318827)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OKADA Daisuke 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10211806)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OHKAWA Noriaki 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 講師 (80416651) ; SUZUKI Akinobu 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (40424684) ; Shehata Mohammad 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (60444197) ; SUZUKI Reiko 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 特命助教 (50532404) ; NISOZONO Hirofumi 富山大学, 研究推進機構研究推進総合支援センター, 助教 (10502289)
• Research Collaborator: NOMOTO Masanori ; YOKOSE Jun ; MURAYAMA Emi ; ZHAO Qi ; KITAMURA Takashi
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 記憶アップデート / 神経科学 / セルアセンブリ / 連合記憶 / 光遺伝学 / 海馬 / 扁桃体 / シナプスタグ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, memory update mechanisms were investigated in cell assembly level. We found that, when two distinct units of information interact to generate a new memory, cellular ensembles corresponding to individual memories overlap. Suppressing the overlap neurons inhibits the association between two memories without affecting the initial memories. In addition, optogenetical co-activation of these ensembles creates an artificial memory. These results indicate that overlap in cellular ensembles plays a critical role in memory association.

Free Research Field

脳科学