Molecular basis for emotion and its role in higher brain functions and psychiatric and neurological disorders

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

In order to elucidate molecular mechanisms for emotion, we performed functional analyses mainly using gene-manipulated mice. We unraveled the roles of NMDA receptors, a kind of glutamate receptors, and physiologically active substances such as neuropeptides, acetylcholine and corticotropin-releasing factor expressed in the amygdala and hippocampus in synaptic transmission and plasticity as well as higher brain functions. We also discovered a novel type of synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, we elucidated precise mechanisms for inhibitory regulation of synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus.