Laboratory for Motor Learning Control

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). The cerebellar cortex plays an important role in the transfer of memory trace. We are now investigating the neural mechanisms underlying the transfer of memory trace of motor learning. We also examine how the memory of motor learning is utilized in the control of voluntary movement in primate.

Research Subjects

• Neural Mechanism underlying the long-term motor memory
• Molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of long-term motor memory
• Role of cerebellum in voluntary eye and hand movement control

Publications

1. Todaka H, Tatsukawa T, Hashikawa T, Yunagawa Y., Shibuki K, Nagao S.:
   "Heterotrimetric guanosine triphosphate-binding protein-coupled modulatory actions of Motilin on K+ channels and postsynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid receptors in mousemedial vestibular nuclear neurons."
   Eur J Neurosci 37, 339-350 (2013)
2. Yamazaki T, Nagao S.:
   "A computational mechanism for unified gain and ttiming controlin the cerebellum."
   PLoS ONE 7, e33319 (2012)
3. Hirono M, Saitow F, Kudo M, Suzuki H, Yanagawa Y, Yamada M, Nagao S, Konishi S, Obata K.:
   "Cerebellar globular cells receive monoaminergic excitation and monosynaptic inhibition from Purkinje cells."
   PLoS ONE 7, e29663 (2012)
4. Okamoto T, Endoh S, Shirao T, Nagao S.:
   "Cerebellar cortical protein synthesis-dependent transfer of memory trace underlies the spacing effect in motor learning."
   J Neurosci 31, 8958-8966 (2011)
5. Honda T, Yamazaki T, Tanaka S, Nagao S, Nishino T.:
   "Stimulus-dependent state transition between synchronized oscillation and randomly repetitive burst in a spiking model of the cerebellar granular layer."
   PLoS Comput Biol　7, e1002087 (2011)
6. 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)
7. 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)
8. 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)
9. 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)
10. 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)