Hokkaido University · Neuroscience
Professor Hiroshi Maejima's research lab specializes in neurophysiology and aging-related motor control, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of ion channels and neurotrophic factors in neural plasticity. The lab investigates how exercise and neuromodulation influence motor function, balance, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in elderly populations. Key research directions include the effects of long-term physical activity on neural control, postural stability, and the pathophysiology of age-related mobility decline. The lab also explores the role of GABAergic inhibition and sodium channel modulation in motor system regulation.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Grayanotoxin (GTX) exerts selective effects on voltage-dependent sodium channels by eliminating fast sodium inactivation and causing a hyperpolarizing shift in voltage dependence of channel activation. In this study, we adopted a newly developed protocol that provides independent estimates of the binding and unbinding rate constants of GTX (k(on) and k(off)) to GTX sites on the sodium channel protein, important in the molecular analysis of channel modification. Novel GTX sites were determined in
Objectives Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays important roles in neuroplasticity in the brain. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of long-term exercise combined with low-level inhibition of GABAergic synapses on motor control and the expression of BDNF in the motor-related cortex. Methods ICR mice were divided into four groups based on the factors exercise and GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor inhibition. We administered the GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor antagonist bicucullin
Falling due to unstable standing balance is considered to be the main cause of bone fractures, which lead elderly persons to becoming bedridden. Thus, the standing balance of elderly persons is being given increasingly greater attention. On the other hand, postural deformation caused by deformation in the spine and lower leg joints is considered to have an effect on standing balance. The objective of this study is to clarify the effect of postural deformation on the following three categories of
Reflecting the rapidly aging population, community-based interventions in the form of physical exercise have been introduced to promote the health of elderly persons. Many investigation studies have focused on muscle strength in the lower leg as a potent indicator of the effect of physical exercises. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of long-term daily exercises on neural command in lower leg muscle activations. Twenty-six community-based elderly persons (13 men and 13 women;
It is widely accepted that daily exercise improves the dynamic standing balance of elderly persons. In the current study, 77 community-dwelling Japanese elderly persons (aged 71.1 +/- 0.5 years) participated in a daily exercise program to assess its effect on their dynamic standing balance. The daily exercise consisted of walking, stretching, muscle strengthening, and balance exercises. The program ran for 31 months and the dynamic standing balance was assessed at the start of the program and ag
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of comprehensive exercise program widely accepted as a community-based physical intervention for the prevention of falling in the elderly persons on their controlling standing balance. Twenty-six community-dwelling elderly persons (13 males and females; 69.8 ± 2.8 years old) participated in this study. Daily exercise was comprised of walking for more than 30 min, stretching, muscle strengthening and balance exercise without exercise equipments
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