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Laboratory for Motor Learning Control
Soichi NAGAO
Laboratory Head
Soichi NAGAO
(M.D., Ph.D.)
mail

Research Areas

Practice makes perfect. No one can perform complex motor behavior well without learning by repetition of training. We have examined the role of the cerebellum and long-term depression (LTD) of parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse in motor learning. We have revealed that 1) The memory trace for short-term (several hours) of motor learning is formed in the cerebellar cortex by LTD. 2) The memory trace of motor learning is later transferred from the cerebellar cortex to the cerebellar (vestibular) nuclei that the cerebellar cortex send its outputs. 3). LTD also plays a key role in the trasfer of memory trace. We are now investigating the neural mechanisms underlying the transfer of memory trace. We also eｘamine how the memory of motor learning is utilized in the control of voluntary movement in primate.

Research Subject

  1. Neural Mechanism of long-term motor memory
  2. Molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of long-term motor memory
  3. Role of cerebellar hemisphere in voluntary eye movement control

Related links

  1. RIKEN Brain Science Institute Website_Laboratories PageNew Window
  2. Individual Website Laboratory PageNew Window

Press release

June 15, 2011
A better way to remember
Memories are more likely to stick if learning includes regular periods of rest. Now researchers think they know why

List of Selected Publications

  1. Dinh Le T, Shirai Y, Okamoto T, Tatsukawa T, Nagao S, Shimizu T, Ito M:
    "Lipid signaling in cytosolic phopholipase A2α-cyclooxygenae-2 cascade mediates cerebellar long-term depression and motor learning."
    Proc Nat Acad Scii USA 107: 3198-3203 (2010).
  2. Anzai M, Kitazawa H, Nagao S.:
    "Effects of reversible pharmacological shutdown of cerebellar flocculus on the memory of long-term horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation in monkey."
    Neurosci Res 68, 190-198 (2010)
  3. Endo S, Shutoh F, Tung LD, Okamoto T, Ikeda T, Suzuki M, Kawahara S, Yanagihara D, Yamada K, Kirino Y, Hartell NA, Yamaguchi K, Itohara S, Nairn A, Greengard P, Nagao S, Ito M.:
    "Dual involvement of G-substrate in motor learning revealed by gene deletion."
    Proc Nat Acad Scii USA 106: 3525-3530 (2009).
  4. Kitazawa H, Xiong G, Hiramatsu T, Ohki M, Nagao S.:
    "Differences of climbing fiber input sources between the primate oculomotor-related cerebellar vermis and hemisphere revealed by a retrograde tracing study."
    Neurosci Lett 462: 10-13 (2009)
  5. Ohki M, Kitazawa H, Hiramatsu T, Kaga K, Kitamura T, Yamada J, Nagao S.:
    "Role of primate cerebellar hemisphere in voluntary eye movement control revealed by lesion effects."
    J Neurophysiol 101, 934-947 (2009)
  6. Hiramatsu T, Ohki M, Kitazawa H, Xiong G, Kitamura T, Yamada J, Nagao S.:
    "Role of the cerebellar lobulus petrosus paraflocculus in smooth pursuit eye movement control revealed by chemical lesion."
    Neurosci Res 60, 250-258 (2008)
  7. Sadakata T, Kakegawa A, Mizoguchi A, Washida M, Katoh-Semba R, Shutoh F, Okamoto T, Nakashima H, Kimura K, Tanaka M, Sekine Y, Itohara S, Yuzaki M, Nagao S, Furuichi T.:
    "Impaired cerebellar development and function in mice lacking CAPS2, a protein involved in neurotropin release."
    J Neurosci 27, 2472-82 (2007)
  8. Shutoh, F, Ohki, M, Kitazwa, H, Itohara, S, and Nagao, S.:
    "Memory trace of motor learning shifts transsynaptically from cerebellar cortex to nuclei for consolidation."
    Neuroscience, 139, 767-777 (2006)
  9. Aruga J, Ogura H, Shutoh F, Ogawa M, Franke B, Nagao S, Mikoshiba K.:
    "Locomotor and oculomotor impairments are involved with cerebellar dysgenesis in Zic3-deficient (Bent tail) mutant mice."
    Eur J Neurosci. 20: 2159-67 (2004)
  10. Nagao S, Kitazawa H.:
    "Effects of reversible shutdown of the monkey flocculus on the retention of adaptation of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex."
    Neuroscience, 118, 563-570 (2003).
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