Class Subjects Major of Cognitive and Emotional Neuroscience

Outlines of Majors

Recently, incidence of dementia in longevity societies and problems due to emotional and behavioral abnormalities in juveniles are increasing. The brain is the only organ that develops during the lifetime under the influences of various factors such as many molecules produced from genes, the antenatal environment, and the environment of the external world after birth (social environment). Abnormalities in these material processes in the brain lead to emotional and behavioral abnormalities, while these emotional and behavioral abnormalities affect these material processes and change not only the brain structure but also the physiological functions. This major aims to develop sophisticated healthcare staff and leading brain scientists who can independently deal with mental problems and emotional/behavioral abnormalities, which are rapidly becoming problematic in developed countries, by overviewing them through interdisciplinary research approaches including specialized fields of basic medicine at the molecular, cellular, and system behavior levels as well as clinical medicine and human social sciences. The goal of this major is to establish science for humanity (“integrated science of the mind”), and the following items are targeted:

Neuroscience-based resolution of recognition/emotion/memory
Neuroscience in the development of emotional and mental behavioral disorders
Neuroscience in the development of higher brain dysfunction and development of preventive care
Establishment of molecular biological basis for brain development
Promotion of brain-scientific researches by utilizing the combined grounds of medical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences and drug discovery
Cross-sectoral analysis of neural information networks

List of Class Subjects

Educational area	Responsible teacher	Research contents
System Emotional Science	Associate Professor NISHIMARU Hiroshi Profile	Neural mechanisms of emotion, learning/memory, and behavioral expression in the limbic system Neural mechanisms of social cognition and non-verbal communication Non-invasive functional brain mapping of human higher brain functions Central control of autonomic nervous functions Neural mechanism of sensory perception and cognition Neuronal mechanism of sensorimotor integration underlying emotional behavior Neuronal mechanism of value-based decision-making Development and application of machine-learning based behavior analysis methods for animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Molecular Brain Science	Professor　INOKUCHI Kaoru Profile	We aim to resolve mechanisms underlying memory formation and also roles played by idling brain in mammals by making full use of molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, histochemistry, electrophysiology, behavioral pharmacology, optogenetics, and live-imaging. Research on the physical substance of engram Research on the dynamics of engram Research on idling brain functions
Molecular Neuroscience	Professor MORI Hisashi Profile Associate Professor YOSHIDA Tomoyuki Profile	Research on molecular basis of higher brain functions such as cognition, emotion, and sociality with generation of novel genetically modified mouse models. Research on the development of novel molecular imaging methods in the brain. Research on molecular basis of neuro-immnune interactions. Research on molecular mechanisms of central synapse formation. Research on pathogenic mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Integrative Neuroscience	Professor TAMURA Ryoi Profile	Neural mechanisms of learning and memory in the hippocampal formation Temporal coding in the hippocampal formation Cortico-hippocampal interplay Mechanism for memory consolidation in sleep Functional analyses of eye movements Mechanisms of gustatory information processing in the central nervous system Adult neurogenesis
Neuropsychiatry	Professor SUZUKI Michio Profile Associate Professor TAKAHASHI Tsutomu Profile	Brain imaging studies on pathophysiology of schizophrenia and their application to objective diagnosis of psychotic disorders Neurophysiological studies in schizophrenia and related disorders Pharmacotherapy to improve cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia Mechanisms of symptom development and preventive strategies for schizophrenia Mechanisms of brain maturation, personality development, and sociality in adolescence Early diagnosis and intervention for dementia
Neurosurgery	Professor KURODA Satoshi Profile	Basic and clinical research on pathophysiology and treatment in cerebral ischemia Clinical research on surgical technique and perioperative management in surgical revascularization Basic and clinical research on neuroendovascular surgery Basic and translational research on regenerative medicine in central nervous Basic and clinical research on pathophysiology and surgical therapy of Basic and clinical research on pathophysiology and surgical therapy in pediatric Clinical research on multidisciplinary treatment for brain tumor Basic and translational research on cancer stem cell in central nervous system Clinical research on less invasive surgery by neuroendoscopy Translational research on development of the devices for surgical procedure and functional recovery
Anatomy and Neuroscience	Professor ICHIJO Hiroyuki Profile	Animals move toward favorable environments: feeding and mating, and escape from unfavorable stressful environments. These behaviors governed by specific neural circuits are selected through natural selection in evolution. Our purpose is to understand structure and function of neural circuits for the behaviors in evolutionary aspects. Research on neural mechanisms of antero-posterior topography, left-right lateralization, and maturation of habenular nuclei under stress or aversive environments in mice. Research on neural mechanisms of asymmetric behaviors in scale-eating cichlids. Functional significance of individual difference in neuronal circuits of stress-processing. Research on evolutionary mechanisms of animal innate behaviors in individual-based model simulation. Research on neural mechanisms of asymmetric behaviors in scale-eating cichlids.
Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience	Professor 　HAKAMATA Yuko	We aim at understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotional dysregulation associated with distorted cognitions, and using this understanding to develop novel, effective psychological interventions for anxiety and depressive disorders. We address these questions from the integrative view including psychology, cognitive behavioral science, endocrinology, immunology, genetics, and neuroscience. Lab members are expected to be engaged in research related to at least one of the following projects: 1) to examine the neurobiological mechanisms of biased cognitions towards emotional information; 2) to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive interventions including cognitive bias modification, cognitive training, and cognitive behavioral therapy for clinical and non-clinical population at high risk; and 3) to develop program tools to get the interventions easily accessible and doable. Participation in more than one project is encouraged.
Behavioral Physiology	Professor TAKAO Keizo Profile Related site facebook	・Investigation of the physiological basis of learning, memory, emotion, and cognition ・Exploration and evaluation of mouse models of neuropsychiatric disorders using behavioral analyses ・Elucidation of the pathophysiology and development of therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders using mouse models ・Development of new genetically engineered mice ・Development of new reproductive technologies
Systems Function and Morphology	Professor ITO Tetsufumi	We employ multidisciplinary approach to investigate functional and morphological basis of the brain which allows the coding of sensory information, especially sounds, and the sensory perception. Followings are the examples of the approach. (1) By combining neurophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques, the organization of neuronal circuitry which enable a specific function will be clarified. (2) We will identify functional, morphological, and molecular details of neuronal cell types which constitute a neuronal circuitry to establish functional standpoint of each cell type. (3) By comparing non-model animals which have unique specializations for sensory behaviors with model animals, details of the functional organization of sensory neuronal circuitry and its evolution will be clarified. (4) By manipulating specific elements of a given neuronal circuitry, relationship between changes of activation patterns of the neuronal circuit and behavioral changes will be clarified.