Major of Cognitive and Emotional Neuroscience

（Class in English）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Students who are interested in emotion and memory functions of the brain are encouraged. The main topic of this class is the limbic system that receives and integrates information of all sensory modalities. You are also required to read several related papers and to present a seminar on the topic of the papers.

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The limbic system converts higher brain information (emotion, memory, etc.) to behavioral manifestation (behaviors, autonomic nervous activity, hormonal release). The main topic of this class is neural mechanisms of behavioral expression and autonomic nervous system regulation.

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In this class, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction in the neural cells and will discuss about the roles of signal transduction in neural network formation, synaptic plasticity, and neurodegenerative disorders based on the recent review articles.

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In this class, we will introduce the recombinant DNA technology, examples of application of recombinant DNA technology to the analysis of CNS functions, and methods to generate gene modified mouse strains.

During the process of evolution, multi-cellular animals have acquired mechanisms to maintain their internal environment in response to various changes in the environment as an adaptive system. The key structure to function this adaptive system in the higher animals is the central nervous system. For understanding functions of the multi-cellular system in animals, it is important to acquire bodies of knowledge at several levels from sub-cellular to whole organism. In this class, functions of the central nervous system are reviewed at levels from cell (synapse and neuron) to system (brain).

Sensory information is detected by peripheral sensory receptors and processed in the central nervous system. In this processing sensory inputs are transformed and/or integrated into perceptual and cognitive representations, providing a neural basis for perception and cognition. Dr. Tamura gives lectures on cognitive function of higher association areas including limbic structures and highlights mnemonic function of the hippocampus. Dr. Tamura gives lectures on cognitive function of higher association areas including limbic structures, highlighting the mnemonic function of the hippocampus

Peptide growth factors are expressed in CNS and are known to regulate neuronal cell functions, such as formation of synapses and neurotransmission control. We focus on the role of platelet-derived growth factor-platelet-derived growth factor receptor system in the neuro-regulatory mechanism.

Number of peptide growth factors, such as platelet-derived growth factors, are expressed in the CNS. It is the focus of the lecture, how these factors are involved in the protection of nervous tissue from the noxious stimuli.

The scope of this class includes psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, stress-related disorders, dementias, mental disorders in childhood and adolescence, etc.

Biological psychiatry aims to understand mental disorders in terms of the biological function of the nervous system. It takes an interdisciplinary approach by employing methodologies in neurophysiology, psychopharmacology, genetics, neuroimaging, etc. Biological psychiatry is particularly important in modern psychiatry.

This lecture focuses on the recent advances in molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying higher order brain function such as learning and memory. Students will introduce the latest research on higher order brain function and develop their ability for searching papers, presentation, and Q&A. We will have Journal Clubs in English and Seminars by outside lecturers in English or Japanese.

This lecture focuses on the recent topics on molecular and cellular cognition, which is a new interdisciplinary field of brain science whose aim is to solve the cognitive function of the brain from a molecular point of view. We’ll also teach how to build experimental plan and reach conclusions in a logical way that may help you complete your PhD thesis. We will have Journal Clubs in English and Seminars by outside lecturers in English or Japanese.

Morphological studies provide crucially important information to understand the functional role of biological molecules. This section introduces morphological approach to gain insight to the molecular mechanism that regulates CNS function. Peptide growth factors are assumed to be involved in the morphogenesis and tissue remodeling after tissue injury in CNS. The lecture focuses on the distribution of platelet-derived growth factor and it receptor in developing and injured CNS.

This lecture is to know about functional neurosurgery. Functional neurosurgery is indicated for diseases with abnormal movement or pain such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, intractable pain, severe spasticity, epilepsy and facial spasm. The surgeries include deep brain stimulation and spinal cord stimulation etc. The histories, mechanisms and the surgical methods of them will be illustrated. Students should submit a report about a recent paper about the functional neurosurgery.

To know true future and methods for reconstruction of damaged brain function, the following subjects are studied　1)Basic study for analysis of pathogenesis of congenital hydrocephalus 2)Basic study to know Developmental mechanism of brain tissue and vessels　3)Clinical analysis of human brain function and evaluation of examinations.　4)Development of the new and less-invasive treatment of damaged brain, including stem cell trans-plantation.

Children’s growth and development is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Neurodevelopmental disorders are one of the most common chronic health problems among children today. In this lecture, we will review the normal growth and development, and discuss several developmental disabilities.

（Class in English）                                                                                 
Neurons extend axons to form precise neuronal circuits. Neuronal circuit formation is under the influence of activity independent mechanism with guidance cues and their receptors. Here, in this course, we discuss current understandings of neuronal circuit formation.

（Class in English）                                                                                           
In the late stage of development, neuronal circuits are fine-tuned by activity-dependent mechanism under the influences of animal experiences. Here, in this course, we discuss fine-tuning of neuronal circuit.

Animal models are essential to life science research. In this class, we will mainly focus on basic knowledge of animal experiments and also introduce the principal and application of behavioral analyses of genetically engineered mice.

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Animals have sensory neuronal circuit which extracts important sensory information for living from the environment. The circuit is organized hierarchically and physical stimuli are transformed into a more abstract form as the order of hierarchy increases. The hierarchical circuitry allows more noise-robust sensory coding. In this course, we study current understanding how sensory information is coded in the neuronal circuitry, and how the circuitry  is organized anatomically.

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Introduction to activity-dependent gene expression in the brain. Practical training of RT-PCR analysis of gene expression in the mouse brain.

There has been a great progress in understanding of higher brain functions, contributed by animal experimental studies including chronic neural activity recording in alert animals. Animal studies using invasive, recording techniques through a microelectrode can capture “the behavior” of individual neurons as computational units, and, therefore, provide essential information on brain functions, which can not be substituted by any non-invasive human studies.

　Dr. Tamura gives lectures on animal experimental studies including chronic recording of neural activity (single units and EEG) in alert animals and optical recording of neural activity in the brain.

Learn the practice of neuropathological approach using mutant mice in which peptide growth factor expression is conditionally depleted in CNS. Approaches would include behavioral and morphological analyses.

Learn the experimental practice of small functional RNA such as shRNA and siRNA to knockdown a specific gene function.

The students will learn how to monitor and assess human brain functions by electroencepharograms (EEGs), event-ralated potentials (ERPs), dipole tracing methos, etc.

（Class in English）
The students will learn how to monitor and assess human brain functions by cerebral blood flow, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), etc.

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This training course is designed for spectrum analysis among ElectroMyoGram (EMG), Autonomic nervous function (respiration, electrocardiogram; ECG, blood pressure, blood flow), electroencepharogram (EEG) and cerebral blood flow.

This training course is designed for learning of the ways of diagnosis for pathological states of the brain using morphological and functional brain imaging techniques.

（Class in English）
This training course is designed for leaning basic structure of central nervous sytem in various vertebrates including human.

Behavior is the final output level of the brain function. In this course, students will learn the principal of behavioral analyses of mice. After learning the backgrounds of the course, students will perform the evaluation of mouse behaviors.

（Class in English）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
This training course is designed for learning the methods of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology to analyze function of local neuronal circuit.