Research
Networks, synaptic regulations, and functions in the cerebellum
Cerebellum is a brain region that is important not only for motor control, but also for several higher cognitive functions, such as attention, sensory processing, verbal working memory, emotion, anxiety, or social behavior. It is not entirely clear how cerebellum is involved in such many functions, yet the characteristically well-organized network structures in the cerebellum are believed to be critical for the cerebellar functions. In our lab, we are investigating regulation of synapses and networks that contributes to the cerebellar functions.(1) Structural and functional organization of cerebellar neuronal networks
The cerebellum is a brain region that is important not only for motor control, but also for high cognitive functions and emotional regulations. It is not entirely clear how cerebellum is involved in such many functions, and therefore it is important to understand organization of cerebellar neuronal networks. We are interested in the following subjects in terms of cerebellar network organization.
(1-a) Input-output organization and soma positions of granule cells
(1-b) Mechanisms underlying molecular layer interneuron distributions and their functions on motor functions
(1-c) Input-dependent Golgi cell soma locations
(1-d) Maintenance of Purkinje cell soma alignment
(2) Cerebellum-dependent regulation of mental conditions through integrating environmental information
Accumulated evidence, including our own study, suggests the importance of cerebellum on the regulation of mental conditions. On the other hand, the cerebellum is well known to receive sensory information from surrounding circumstances. They raise a possibility that the cerebellum would contribute to determination of susceptibility and resilience of stress-induced mental disorders. We are interested in understanding functions of neuronal circuits from the cerebellum to other brain regions for mental regulation according to the environmental situations, from the following viewpoints.
(2-a) Neuronal circuit mapping
(2-b) Behavioral consequence upon input stimulation and circuit activity manipulation
(2-c) Activity alteration during input stimulation with or without circuit activity manipulation
(3) Age-dependent characterization of gene expression, synaptic regulation, and motor/cognitive behaviors in association with specific networks of midbrain
We are currently participating in a project about understanding and solving age-dependent alteration of brain. We are specifically working on network-specific gene expression and synaptic regulation in midbrain, and on their relevance to motor or cognitive behaviors, by utilizing our established methods, including network specific labeling.
