The University of Tokyo · Neuroscience
Professor Nobuyoshi Matsumoto's research lab specializes in systems neuroscience and neurophysiology, focusing on the functional and developmental dynamics of specific brain regions such as the CA2 hippocampal subfield and the presubiculum. The lab investigates intrinsic membrane properties, neural circuit mechanisms, and neuromodulation in behaviors like spatial navigation, social behavior, and memory formation. Using in vivo electrophysiology, imaging, and behavioral assays, the lab explores how neural activity patterns support cognition and behavior, particularly in relation to neuromodulators like vasopressin and oxytocin. The lab also extends into translational neuroscience, examining pharmacological modulation of memory with drugs like ramelteon, and contributes to interdisciplinary robotics through minimal, behaviorally inspired robot design.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
The CA2 region is unique in the hippocampus; it receives direct synaptic innervations from several hypothalamic nuclei and expresses various receptors of neuromodulators, including adenosine, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Furthermore, the CA2 region may have distinct brain functions, such as the control of instinctive and social behaviors; however, little is known about the dynamics of the subthreshold membrane potentials of CA2 neurons in vivo. We conducted whole-cell current-clamp recordings from
Normal respiratory and circulatory functions are crucial for survival. However, conventional methods of monitoring respiration, some of which use sensors inserted into the nasal cavity, may interfere with naïve respiratory rates. In this study, we conducted a single-point measurement of electrocardiograms (ECGs) from the pectoral muscles of anesthetized and waking mice and found low-frequency oscillations in the ECG baseline. Using the fast Fourier transform of simultaneously recorded respirator
The design of communication robots remains a relatively underdeveloped field. Such robots are often designed on a trial-and-error basis. Also, the shape of a robot heavily depends on the personal experience of a designer. In this paper, we discuss a method of designing long-term communication robots, which we call "minimal design." It is unlike other industrial robot design methods. We have already produced some such communication robots, and here we provide explanations of them. Furthermore, we
The presubiculum, a subarea of the parahippocampal region, plays a critical role in spatial navigation and spatial representation. An outstanding aspect of presubicular spatial codes is head-direction selectivity of the firing of excitatory neurons, called head-direction cells. Head-direction selectivity emerges before eye-opening in rodents and is maintained in adulthood through neurophysiological interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Although the presubiculum has been physiol
Ramelteon is used to ameliorate sleep disorders that negatively affect memory performance; however, it remains unknown whether ramelteon strengthens neutral memories, which do not involve reward or punishment. To address this, we monitored behavior of mice treated with vehicle/ramelteon while they performed a novel object recognition task and a spontaneous alternation task. Object memory performance in the novel object recognition task was improved only if ramelteon was injected before training,
Excitatory neurons and GABAergic interneurons constitute neural circuits and play important roles in information processing. In certain brain regions, such as the neocortex and the hippocampus, there are fewer interneurons than excitatory neurons. Interneurons have been quantified via immunohistochemistry, for example, for GAD67, an isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase. Additionally, the expression level of other proteins varies among cell types. For example, NeuN, a commonly used marker prote
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