本研究は、線条体パルブアルブミン発現ニューロン(PVニューロン)が受け取るグルタミン酸作動性軸索投射を順行性ウィルストレーサーを用い形態学的に調べた。その結果、運動皮質および視床腹側部からのグルタミン酸作動性軸索入力はいずれもPVニューロン樹状突起の広範囲に投射を行っているものの、視床腹側部の投射のみが細胞体から20µｍ程度の近位樹状突起に高密度な分布を示すことが明らかとなった。 / Using bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice expressing somatodendritic membrane–targeted green fluorescent protein in striatal parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, we demonstrate that glutamatergic inputs originating from the ventral anterior/ventral lateral motor thalamus preferentially contact on proximal dendrites, while inputs from motor cortex are uniformly distributed on PV neurons. These results were confirmed using a combination of vesicular glutamate transporter immunoreactions. Collectively, these findings suggest that PV neurons produce fast and reliable inhibition of medium spiny neurons in response to thalamic inputs. In contrast, excitatory inputs from motor cortices modulate PV dendrite excitability, possibly in concert with other glutamatergic, GABAergic, and dopaminergic inputs. / 博士(理学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Science / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University