Systematic determination of the neuronal circuit underlying depression and elucidation of the mechanism for neuro-glial injury

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293252
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: KANBA SHIGENOBU 九州大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (50195187)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ONITSUKA TOSHIAKI 九州大学, 大学院医学研究院, 准教授 (00398059) ; TAKAHIRO KATO 九州大学, 先端融合医療レドックスナビ, 特任助教 (70546465) ; KEISUKE MOTOMURA 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (60432944) ; TOMOFUMI MIURA 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90404053)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: うつ病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the neuroinflammation hypothesis of depression, we investigated behavior and brain of the mice which were injected with bacterial endotoxin. Despite of transient activation of the microglia, we could not detect persistent alteration of the marker molecules in the astroglia and oligodendroglia. Minocycline, inhibitor of microglial activation, induced depressive behavior in the tail suspension test in the mice. We also developed a new technique for creating induced microglia-like cells from human peripheral blood. In the MRI study, we accumulated diffuse tensor image of the patients with mood disorder. These results added further information regarding possible interaction between neuroinflammation and depression.

Free Research Field

精神医学