Hypothermia as a risk factor for memory consolidation – Publicly Invited Research 2018－2019

  1. A01 Ogura
  2. A01 H. Takahashi
  3. A01 S. Takahashi
  4. A01 Michiue
  5. A01 Hinoi
  6. A01 Tsumoto
  7. A01 Nikawa
  8. A01 Chatani
  9. A01 Kawakami
  10. A01 Akiyama
  11. A01 Tomita
  1. A02 Shinohara
  2. A02 Mieda
  3. A02 Maekawa
  4. A02 Abe
  5. A02 Ohgami
  6. A02 Kawano
  7. A02 Takano
  1. A03 Suzuki
  2. A03 Nakamura
  3. A03 Harada
  4. A03 Kobayashi
  5. A03 Miyamoto
  6. A03 Funayama
  7. A03 Kakinuma
  1. B01 Lazarus
  2. B01 Kato
  3. B01 Kunieda
  4. B01 Kitaya
  5. B01 Sawano
Research Subject Hypothermia as a risk factor for memory consolidation
Research Group Leader
name
Research Collaborator(s)
  • Masanori Sakaguchi
    Associate Professor, International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba

Hypothermia caused by hibernation, suspended animation, therapeutic hypothermia or cold environment has been suspected to adversely affect memory function, but the mechanisms linking body temperature and memory formation are poorly defined (Fig. 1). We discovered that activation of neurons in the preoptic area induces hypothermia and impairs fear memory. Therefore, we are investigating how the preoptic area neurons regulate the formation and consolidation of memories in the amygdala or hippocampus. We use intraperitoneal telemetry implants for the thermal detection of body temperature changes. Moreover, we determine “freezing” behavior after fear conditioning by foot shock as a measure of the memory of a traumatic event or the ability of mice to navigate in a water or radial arm maze as a measure of spatial memory. Specifically, we are investigating by using chemogenetic methods and in-vivo Ca imaging whether preoptic area neurons control fear memories in the amygdala, a well-known center in the brain for the expression of fear. We are also investigating whether the expression of fear can also be suppressed by pharmacologically or physically cooling the body of mice (e.g. hypothermia-inducing drugs or cold environment). Finally, we are investigating the risk of chemogenetic activation of preoptic area neurons or body cooling for hippocampus-dependent (i.e. spatial) memories.