Tuning the master clock of the brain: Endocannabinoid modulation of the olivo-cerebellar system and animal behavior

在2019财年，JSPS支持的项目进入了最后阶段。总之，JSPS的资助使我们能够开发和建立一个范式转换的实验框架，用于对自由行为小鼠的全身运动进行极高分辨率的跟踪，这是以前从未尝试过的。该方法依赖于永久植入的皮肤标记物和一组专用的高速摄像机，这些摄像机具有前所未有的多功能性，可以真实的跟踪动物运动。作为这种方法的概念验证，我们用它来研究中枢神经系统内源性大麻素（eCB）调制的微妙运动学特征，这是医学药理学中非常重要的一个主题。借助JSPS建立的记录系统，我们可以首次1）描述以前忽略的低剂量相关运动效应，以及2）揭示eCB调制的差异，行为状态依赖性和分子通路依赖性效应。第二部分是非常令人惊讶的，因为它违背了eCB研究界普遍接受的概念。在FY19，所获得的结果通过研究人员的会议演讲被广泛宣传。值得注意的是，虽然日本卫生研究所的资金是她参加会议的基本条件，但有几次会议的主办方邀请她作为发言人，并支付了她的差旅费。这些活动是促进日本科学的一个很好的场所。

In FY19, the project supported by JSPS reached its final stage. As a summary, the JSPS funding had allowed us to develop and establish a paradigm-shifting experimental framework for extremely high-resolution tracking of full body movement in freely-behaving mice, something that had not been even attempted before. The established method relies on permanently-implanted skin markers and a set of dedicated high-speed cameras that allow unprecedented versatility to tracking animal movement in real time.As a proof-of-concept for this method, we used it to investigate subtle kinematic signatures of endocannabinoid (eCB) modulation of the central nervous system, a topic that is of burning importance in medical pharmacology. With the aid of the recording system established with the aid of JSPS, we could for the first time 1) describe previously-ignored low-dose-related motor effecs as well as 2) uncover the differential, behavior state-dependent and molecular pathway-dependent effects of eCB modulation. The second part was highly surprising as it runs against commonly-accepted concepts within the eCB research community.In FY19, the results obtained were widely publicized by means of conference presentations by the researcher. Notably, while JSPS funding was fundamental for her participation in the conferences, there were several events where she was invited as a speaker by the host, and her travel costs were covered. These events were a great venue to promote Science in Japan.