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T Sawaguchi

Publications and source records attributed to T Sawaguchi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

GABAergic inhibition of neuronal activity in the primate motor and premotor cortex during voluntary movement.

1. The functional role of GABAergic inhibition in neuronal activity in the forearm-hand area of the motor cortex and the postarcuate premotor cortex was studied while monkeys pressed and released a lever in response to a visual cue. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), its agonist muscimol (MUS), and its antagonist bicuculline methiodide (BMI), as well as acetylcholine, noradrenaline, and sodium glutamate, were applied iontophoretically to isolated single neurons whose activity was recorded via glass micropipettes that contained carbon fibers. 2. The activity from single neurons recorded in the motor and premotor cortex showed changes during the press or release of the lever by movement of the contralateral wrist. Discharge of most of the movement-related neurons (greater than 90%) was decreased or completely suppressed by iontophoretically applied GABA or MUS. 3. The activity of the movement-related neurons increased after application of BMI. In 70% of neurons tested, the activity during application of BMI was specifically enhanced at or near the phase of their peaks of activity, with or without a noticeable elevation in background activity. 4. About 10% of the neurons that had been unidirectional (i.e., neurons that showed a change in activity at either the lever-press or lever-release phase) became bidirectional (i.e., they showed changes in activity at both phases) when GABA transmission was blocked by the application of BMI. Bidirectional neurons also showed a reduction in the value of the directionality index. 5. One-half of the silent neurons, which had not shown any activity during either the lever-release or the lever-press phase, became active during the movement phases that followed application of BMI. 6. Most of the cortical neurons in layers II-VI in the motor area were found to be subject to GABAergic inhibition during voluntary movement. 7. We conclude that GABAergic inhibition plays a role in regulating the population of task-related neurons, and the levels of the task-related activity. GABAergic inhibition also improves directionality index in the motor cortex neurons to control the activity of target muscles.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The size of the neocortex in relation to ecology and social structure in monkeys and apes.

In an attempt to reveal factors associated with neocortical development in monkeys and apes (anthropoids), relationships between the relative size of the neocortex and differences in ecology and social structure were examined for 24 genera of 11 subfamilies. Relative sizes of the neocortex (RSNs) in a given group were assessed as the difference between actual neocortical volume and the volume expected from an allometric relationship between neocortical volume and the volume of the rest of the brain. We found that RSNs are related to diet and social structure: frugivorous anthropoids had higher values of RSNs than folivorous anthropoids, and polygynous anthropoids had significantly higher values of RSNs than monogynous anthropoids. Furthermore, RSNs were positively correlated with the size of the troop. These results suggest that development of the neocortex is associated with both diet and social structure in anthropoids.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

D1 dopamine receptors in prefrontal cortex: involvement in working memory.

The prefrontal cortex is involved in the cognitive process of working memory. Local injections of SCH23390 and SCH39166, selective antagonists of the D1 dopamine receptor, into the prefrontal cortex of rhesus monkeys induced errors and increased latency in performance on an oculomotor task that required memory-guided saccades. The deficit was dose-dependent and sensitive to the duration of the delay period. These D1 antagonists had no effect on performance in a control task requiring visually guided saccades, indicating that sensory and motor functions were unaltered. Thus, D1 dopamine receptors play a selective role in the mnemonic, predictive functions of the primate prefrontal cortex.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Behavioral deficits induced by local injection of bicuculline and muscimol into the primate motor and premotor cortex.

1. The role of intracortical GABAergic inhibition in the performance of hand movements was studied in macaque monkeys while they performed two behavioral tasks: a raisin pick-up test and a visual reaction-time task. A gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist, muscimol (MUS; 1-5 microgram), and an antagonist, bicuculline methiodide (BMI, 1-10 micrograms), were injected at various sites in the precentral motor cortex (MC), at which single-unit activity was related to the manual aspects of the performance of the reaction-time task. 2. Manual dexterity in the raisin pick-up task was severely disturbed by injections of either MUS or BMI into the hand MC. The effect was less severe after injections into the postarcuate premotor cortex (PM). 3. Performance of the reaction-time task was unstable after injection of BMI. The instability was caused by increased electromyogram (EMG) activity and by cocontractions of agonistic and antagonistic muscles of the arm during the pressing or release of the lever. 4. Reaction time was increased by injection of MUS, although the effect was temporary and decayed within 60 min. These deficits were consistent with the time course of the decrease in the total amount of EMG activity of hand muscles related to the task. As in the case of the raisin pick-up task, performance deficits were greater when MUS and BMI were injected into the hand MC and smaller when they were injected into the PM. 5. After injection of BMI, the animals gradually began to display muscle activity in response to a green warning signal that did not require a behavioral response. The muscle activity accelerated to spontaneous muscle twitches without any external stimulus, and the animals were unable to continue the task. These BMI-induced twitches were eliminated by injection of barbiturate. 6. Appropriate levels of GABAergic inhibition in the MC appear, therefore, to be important for the regulation of spatiotemporally organized ensembles of muscle activity, in particular for reciprocal contraction at the task-related joints.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Modulation of neuronal activities by iontophoretically applied catecholamines and acetylcholine in the primate motor cortex during a visual reaction-time task.

Single neuronal activities in the primate motor cortex were modulated by iontophoretically applied acetylcholine (ACh), noradrenaline (NA) or dopamine (DA) while monkeys were performing a visual reaction-time. task. ACh caused general increases of the discharge activities of both the background baseline and the task-related activity peaks, whereas NA caused decreases mainly of the baseline. DA caused activity increases in half of the tested neurons, and decreases in 25% of the neurons. NA modulated the firing rate to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the related activities. ACh and DA, by contrast, subserved to enhance the synaptic transmission in the motor cortex.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1990

Catecholaminergic effects on neuronal activity related to a delayed response task in monkey prefrontal cortex.

1. Using iontophoretic techniques, we investigated the effects of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) on neuronal activity related to a delayed response (DR) task in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the Japanese macaque monkeys. The DR task was initiated by rotation of a handle to a central zone and consisted of seven distinct time periods: an initial waiting period of 0.3 s, a precue period of 1 s (a central green lamp), a cue period of 1 s (left or right lamp), a delay period of 4 s, a go period of 1 s (red lamp in the center; rotation of the handle to either the left or right zone), a hold period (holding of the handle in either the left or right zone for 0.3 s), and a final reward period. 2. A total of 116 neurons were DR task related. They showed increases in activity during the precue period (Precue-types, n = 19), during both the cue and go periods (Cue/GO-types, n = 17), the go period (GO-types, n = 16), and during the delay period (Delay-types, n = 64). The Delay-type neurons were further divided into differential neurons (n = 33), for which the magnitude of the delay-related activity differed significantly between left- and right-cue trials, and nondifferential neurons (n = 31). Some of the Delay-type neurons also showed increases in activity during the cue (n = 26), go (n = 27), or both the cue and go periods (n = 11). 3. DA or NA, applied iontophoretically with a current of 50 nA, induced increased or decreased responses in most of the DR task-related neurons. DA increased activity of most of the Cue/GO-(16/17), GO-(13/16), and Delay-type neurons (49/64), and NA decreased activity of most of the Precue- (13/19) and non-differential Delay-type neurons (25/31). Thus different types of DR task-related neurons showed different responses to DA and NA. 4. In Cue/GO-, GO-, and/or Delay-type neurons, DA increased the activity related to the cue, go, and delay periods more strongly than it increased background activity. As a result, the ratio [i.e., signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio] of activity related to the cue, go, and delay periods to background activity was increased. 5. In Precue-type or nondifferential Delay-type neurons, NA decreased background activity more strongly than it decreased activity during the precue or delay period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Effects of dopamine antagonists on neuronal activity related to a delayed response task in monkey prefrontal cortex.

1. Using iontophoretic techniques, we investigated the influence of dopamine (DA) antagonists [haloperidol (HAL), a non-selective DA antagonist; sulpiride (SUL), a selective antagonist for D2 receptors; and fluphenazine (FLU), a potent antagonist for D1 receptors] on neuronal activity related to a delayed response (DR) task in the monkey prefrontal cortex (PFC). The DR task was initiated by the rotation of a handle to a central zone and consisted of seven distinct periods: an initial intertrial interval of 0.3 s, a precue period of 1 s (a center green lamp), a cue period of 1 s (left or right lamp), a delay period of 4 s, a go period (red lamp in the center; rotation of the handle to either the left or right zone), a hold period (holding of the handle in either the left or right zone), and a final reward period. Because it was shown, as described in the companion paper (Sawaguchi et al. 1990), that DA augments the increased activity of prefrontal neurons related to the cue, delay, and go periods of the DR task, effects of the DA antagonists were examined in a total of 61 neurons that showed increases in activity related to these periods and a response to DA. 2. Consistent with previous studies (Sawaguchi et al. 1988a, 1990), iontophoretically applied DA increased DR task-related activity in prefrontal neurons. Iontophoretically applied HAL and FLU antagonized the increased effect of DA on the task-related activity. By contrast, SUL did not have any clear effects on the influence of DA. 3. By themselves, HAL and FLU reduced prefrontal neuronal activity related to the cue, delay, and go periods of the DR task. The ratio of the reduction by HAL and FLU was significantly larger for activity during the cue, delay, or go period than for background activity during the precue period; and, as a result, the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the task-related activity to background activity was reduced during the application of HAL and FLU. In contrast, SUL did not have any clear effects on activity related to the cue, delay, and go periods of the DR task, and the S/N ratio during the application of SUL did not significantly differ from that before the application of the drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Delayed response deficits produced by local injection of bicuculline into the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in Japanese macaque monkeys.

Bicuculline (10-30 micrograms, but usually 30 micrograms) was injected locally into 20 different sites in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) of 2 Japanese macaque monkeys, while they were performing a delayed response task. The task was initiated by the rotation of a handle to a central zone by the wrist joint and consisted of seven periods: an initial waiting period of 0.3 s, a pre-cue period (central green lamp of 1.0 s), a cue period (left or right green cue of 0.3 s), a delay period of 4.0 s (occasionally 1 s), a go period (central red lamp; rotation of the handle to either the left or right zone within 1.0 s), a hold period (holding of the handle in either the left or the right zone), and a final reward period. The parameters of the task performance, such as the frequency of correct trials, the frequency of directional error trials in which the monkeys rotated the handle in an incorrect direction during the go period, and the frequency of omission error trials, in which the monkeys did not rotate the handle during the go period, were examined before and after the injection of bicuculline. The injections of bicuculline induced a burst of multi-neuronal activity around the sites of injection. Within 5 min of an injection into one of 7 different sites in the PFC, three different kinds of performance deficit were observed: 1) an increase in the frequency of error responses during the go period in both left-cue and right-cue trials, after injection into the dorso-caudal portion of the principal sulcus (2 sites); 2) an increase in the frequency of directional error responses during the go period in either left-cue or right-cue trials, after injection into the bottom of the middle principal sulcus (3 sites), and 3) an increase in the frequency of omission of responses during the go period, after injection into the dorsal region of the caudal principal sulcus (2 sites). Injections at the remaining 13 sites did not induce any deficits, although injections into the dorsal bank of the principal sulcus (3 sites) induced a decrease in the frequency of the task trials as a result of prolonged intertrial intervals (ITIs). Our results suggest that locally disturbed neuronal activity in different small areas of the PFC induces different deficits in the performance of the delayed response task.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Depth distribution of neuronal activity related to a visual reaction time task in the monkey prefrontal cortex.

1. The depth distributions of neurons with changes in activity during a visual reaction time task were investigated in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the macaque monkey, using glass micropipettes. The task was initiated by the monkey pressing a lever and consisted of an initial waiting phase (3.0-s period); a warning phase (green lamp, a variable period of 1.5-3.5 s); a lever-release GO phase (red lamp); and a final reward phase. The locations of neurons, in terms of the cortical layer, whose activities were recorded during performance of the task, were estimated histologically by marks made during the recording session. Marks were made by passing a DC current (anodal, 10-20 microA, 10-20 s) through the tip of an electrode which contained carbon fibers. Manipulator readings during the experiments and measurements of the distance of the marks from the cortical surface for 28 electrode penetrations showed a discrepancy of 2.0 +/- 5.0%, indicating that the depths at which task-related neurons were located could be estimated with errors of less than 10%. 2. Out of 162 task-related neurons recorded during 31 electrode penetrations, 53 showed changes in activity only during the warning phase (W-type; 19 phasic, 10 phasic-tonic, and 24 tonic), 37 showed changes only during the GO phase (GO-type; 4 Cue-coupled, 27 Intermediate, and 6 Movement-coupled), 34 showed changes during both the warning and GO phases (WG-type; 9 phasic, 10 phasic-tonic, and 15 tonic), and 38 showed changes during the reward phase (RE-type; 22 phasic and 16 tonic). 3. The various task-related neurons were distributed differently in different layers. Most neurons were recorded from layers III through V. In layer I, no neurons were recorded. In layer II, only a small number of neurons, with changes during the warning phase, were recorded (n = 7, 4%). One-third of the neurons were recorded in layer III (n = 51, 32%); neurons with changes during the warning phase were the most numerous (n = 24) and were significantly more numerous than neurons with changes associated with other phases of the task. One-fourth of the neurons were recorded in layer IV (n = 43, 27%); neurons with changes during the reward phase were the most numerous (n = 19), and were significantly more numerous than neurons with changes during both the warning and GO phases and also more numerous than neurons with changes during the GO phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Relationships between cerebral indices for 'extra' cortical parts and ecological categories in anthropoids.

The relationships between cerebral indices for 'extra' cortical parts associated with advanced functions [Jerison's 'extra' neurons (Nc), Hofman's 'extra' cortical volume (Ve)] and ecology and social structure were examined for a total of 86 species of anthropoids (28 species of New World monkeys, 48 species of Old World monkeys and 10 species of apes). The species were divided into a total of 39 'congeneric groups' of species which share common ecology and social structure (in most cases, congeneric groups are synonymous with genera). Both Nc and Ve were significantly larger for polygynous congeneric groups than for monogynous congeneric groups in the case of New World monkeys. In the case of Old World monkeys, both Nc and Ve were significantly larger for terrestrial congeneric groups than for arboreal congeneric groups. In the case of apes, although complete analyses could not be performed because of the limited size of the sample for which data were available, both Nc and Ve appeared to be larger for polygynous/terrestrial apes than for monogynous/arboreal apes. These results suggest that the expansion of the cerebral cortex in anthropoids may be associated with terrestriality and polygyny.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Delayed response deficit in monkeys by locally disturbed prefrontal neuronal activity by bicuculline.

Effects of local injection of a gamma-aminobutyric acid antagonist, bicuculline (10-30 micrograms dissolved in saline) in the principal prefrontal cortex on the delayed response task were investigated in two monkeys. On a visual Go signal, the monkeys rotated a handle to the left or to the right (Go period) according to a visual cue (left or right; 1 s) presented 4 s earlier. Bicuculline induced bursting activity at the injected site 1-2 min after the injection and 5 min later the burst activity spread to nearby cortical areas (less than 4 mm diameter). Within 5 min after injection, the monkeys showed errors in Go periods, rotating the handle to the contralateral zone, regardless of the cue side. This tendency continued for 30-40 min and returned to the control level. Electromyographic recordings of forearm muscles did not show any changes. The effect was observed when the drug was injected into a circumscribed area of the bottom of the mid-principalis region. It appears that disturbed neuronal activity in a small group of cortical columns induces performance errors of specific direction of the delayed response.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Dopamine enhances the neuronal activity of spatial short-term memory task in the primate prefrontal cortex.

The influence of dopamine and its antagonists on neuronal activity related to the delay period of a delayed response task was examined in the monkey prefrontal cortex. Iontophoretically applied dopamine enhanced the delay-related neuronal activity, while fluphenazine and haloperidol attenuated the activity. Sulpiride had no effect on the activity. The results suggest that dopamine promotes processing of spatial short-term memory by increasing memory-related activity in the primate prefrontal cortex, probably via D1-type dopamine receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Correlations of cerebral indices for 'extra' cortical parts and ecological variables in primates.

Correlations between cerebral indices for 'extra' cortical parts associated with advanced functions (Jerson's extra neurons, Nc; Hofman's extra cortical volume, Ve, and Hofman's extra cortical surface, Se) and ecological variables, namely troop size (TS), size of home range of one troop (HRt), and size of home range per individual (HRi) were examined in 12 species of prosimians, 8 species of New World monkeys, and 27 species of Old World monkeys. All three of the cerebral indices, Nc, Ve, and Se were, among the ecological variables examined, positively and most closely correlated with TS in the prosimians, with HRt in the New World monkeys, and with HRi in the Old World monkeys. These results suggest that the cerebral cortex may have expanded in relation to growth of TS for prosimians, in relation to expansion of HRt for New World monkeys, and in relation to expansion of HRi for Old World monkeys. It is, therefore, possible that the cerebral cortex may have expanded in conjunction with changes in different ecological factors in different taxonomic groups of primates.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Prediction of avascular necrosis in the femoral head following fracture dislocation--using the electrochemically generated hydrogen clearance method].

In order to predict necrosis of the femoral head following fracture-dislocation, the blood flow in the femoral heads in twenty-five hips was measured immediately after reduction and three, six, nine and twelve months thereafter. Twenty hips were followed up for more than one year (average 26.3 months) radiographically. Seven out of twenty hips had very low blood flow in the weight bearing areas three months after reduction. Five of seven had very low blood flow six and nine months after reduction and resulted in necrosis which was determined radiographically. The other two of seven recovered the blood flow and have not resulted in necrosis. Thirteen hips with normal blood flow three months after reduction also did not undergo necrosis. It is possible to predict the incidence of necrosis after fracture-dislocation by measuring the blood flow of the femoral head with the electrochemically generated hydrogen clearance method.

Femoral Fractures↗
PubMed1987

Properties of neuronal activity related to a visual reaction time task in the monkey prefrontal cortex.

1. Quantitative properties of neuronal activity related to a visual reaction time task were studied in the monkey prefrontal cortex. The task consisted of an initial waiting phase (3.0-s period), a warning phase (green lamp, a variable period of 1.5-3.5 s), a go phase (red lamp), and a reward phase. 2. A total of 189 task-related neurons showed 233 changes in discharge rates during the warning (n = 86), GO (n = 103), and reward (n = 44) phases of the task. Most of the task-related neurons (145/189, 77%) showed changes during only one of the task phases, and were designated W (warning phase)-type (n = 42), GO (go phase)-type (n = 59), and RE (reward phase)-type (n = 44) neurons. The remainder (n = 44, 23%) showed changes during both the warning and the go phases, and were designated WG (warning and go phase)-type neurons. In each phase, onset latencies, peak latencies, and decay times of each change were measured and compared. 3. The changes during the warning phase (n = 86) were separated into three groups based on decay time; that is, phasic changes (n = 31), phasic-tonic changes (n = 23), and tonic changes (n = 32). Onset latencies and peak latencies were homogeneously distributed, and there were no clear groupings, although phasic and phasic-tonic changes tended to show shorter latencies than tonic changes. 4. The changes during the go phase (n = 103) did not show distinct differences, either in terms of decay time or of latency. The changes during the go phase showed various degrees of coupling to both the visual go signal (GS) and lever-release hand movement. To quantitate the coupling, a value to indicate the degrees of coupling (coupling index) was calculated. The changes coupled more strongly to the GS (cue coupled), those coupled more closely to the lever release (movement coupled), and intermediate changes could be distinguished from each other. The cue-coupled changes showed shorter latencies from the time onset of the GS than the movement-coupled changes, and the intermediate changes showed intermediate latencies. The decay time and the duration of the intermediate changes were longer than those of the cue-coupled changes and the movement-coupled changes. 5. The properties of WG-type neurons were compared with those of W-type and GO-type neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Catecholamine sensitivities of neurons related to a visual reaction time task in the monkey prefrontal cortex.

1. Using microiontophoretic techniques and conscious monkeys, sensitivities to noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) of neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which showed changes in activity during a visual reaction time task, were investigated. The visual reaction time task was initiated by the pressing of a lever and consisted of four phases: an initial waiting phase of 3.0 s, a warning phase (green light of variable duration of 1.5-3.5 s), a lever release go phase (red light), and a final reward phase. 2. A total of 153 neurons, which showed changes in activity during one or two phase(s) of the task, were sampled. Of these neurons, 39 changed their activity during the warning phase, 48 changed their activity during the go phase, 38 changed their activity during both the warning and the go phases, and 28 changed their activity during the reward phase. 3. Iontophoretically applied NA and DA (with a current of 30-70 nA, but usually with a current of 50 nA) induced excitatory and/or inhibitory responses in 141 of the 153 task-related neurons. NA induced responses in 99 neurons, and these responses were predominantly inhibitory (n = 90). DA induced excitatory (n = 62) and inhibitory (n = 30) responses in 92 neurons. Fifty neurons were sensitive to both NA and DA. 4. The neurons showing changes in activity during different phases of the task showed different sensitivities to NA and DA applied with 50 nA. The warning phase-related neurons were primarily sensitive to NA (36/39), the go phase-related neurons were primarily sensitive to DA (44/48), neurons related to both the warning and go phases were sensitive to both NA and DA (33/38), and the reward phase-related neurons were primarily sensitive to NA (23/28). 5. In the neurons that showed increased changes in activity during the warning phase, NA reduced the background activity to a greater extent than the activity during the warning phase and increased the ratio of the warning phase-related activity to the background activity. In the neurons that showed decreased changes during the warning phase, NA reduced the activity during the warning phase to a great extent than the background activity, and increased ratio of the background activity to the warning phase-related activity. Furthermore, the latency of onset of the change in activity tended to become shorter by application of NA. Thus, NA enhanced the change in activity during the warning phase, irrespective of whether the direction of the change was toward an increase or a decrease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗