Medical Sciences Group/Inter-Institute Cooperative LaboratoriesNishimura Laboratory
(Biomedical Sciences Group, TMiMS)
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Visiting Professor NISHIMURA Yukio
Our goal is to conceive of innovative ideas for neuro-rehabilitation of lost functions after nervous system damage, and to translate these ideas into clinical applications capable of improving the quality of life for individuals with neural damage.Specifically, we are developing a neural interface known as an “artificial neuronal connection (ANC)”. This ANC bridges spinal lesions by connecting supra-spinal systems with spinal networks distal to the lesion to restore lost functions. We are conducting clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of ANCs in restoring motor function in paralyzed patients. We are also investigating neural changes that occur during recovery. Depression impedes, and motivation enhances, functional recovery after neuronal damage. Although higher motivation seems to boost motor performance and recovery, neural substrates underlying this psychological effect remains unknown. We are identifying these neuronal substrates using humans and animal models.
- Research
keywords - Brain Computre Interface, Motor control, Somatosensory system, Functional recovery, Motivation
References/papers
- -Sugawara et al., (2023) Premovement activity in the mesocortical system links peak force but not initiation of force generation under incentive motivation.Cereb Cortex. 33(23):11408-11419.
- -Kaneshige et al. (2022) Tuning of motor outputs produced by spinal stimulation during voluntary control of torque directions in monkeys.Elife. 2022;11:e78346.
- -Umeda et al., (2022) Temporal dynamics of the sensorimotor convergence underlying voluntary limb movement. PNAS. 2022;119(48):e2208353119.
- -Kato et al. (2019) Bypassing stroke-damaged neural pathways via a neural interface induces targeted cortical adaptation. Nature Communications. 10(1):4699.
- -Umeda et al., (2019) The somatosensory cortex receives information about motor output. Science Advances., 5(7):eaaw5388.
- -Sawada et al. (2015) Function of the nucleus accumbens in motor control during recovery after spinal cord injury. Science 350(6256):98-101.
- -Nishimura et al. (2013) Spike-timing-dependent plasticity in primate corticospinal connections induced during free behavior.” Neuron 80(5):1301-1309.
- -Nishimura, et al. (2009) A subcortical oscillatory network contributes to recovery of hand dexterity after spinal cord injury. Brain. 132(Pt 3):709-721
- -Nishimura, et al. (2007) Time-dependent central compensatory mechanisms of finger dexterity after spinal cord injur. Science. 318(5853):1150-1155.