Professor Toshiyuki Saito
■Area and Subject Taught：Animal Physiology and Neurobiology
■Research Theme(s)：stress disorders and regeneration of neurons in the brain
■Academic Degrees：DVM(Hokkaido University), PhD(Hokkaido University)
■Keywords for Research Field：limbic system, adrenal gland, sympathetic nerve
[Research Overview]
The physiological reaction to stressors involves activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. During acute stress, activation of the HPA axis and the sympathetic nervous system lasts only for a short time. But, chronic activation of both systems may increase a risk for anxiety and other stress disorders. Dysregulation of functional coupling especially between the amygdala and other brain regions is considered to underlie the production of pathological states of anxiety and stress disorders. However, it remains unclear how chronic stress disrupts regulatory systems between the central nuclei, which generates anxiety and stress disorder. In the laboratory, the neural signaling which is sensitive to acute and chronic stress has been surveyed in the central nuclei, and how damaged neurons by stress can be regenerated using experimental animals.
[Notable Publications and Works]
- Saito T, Fujiwara S-E, Hisakura K, Ohkohchi N, Akema T, Sasamori S, Konno K, Kobayashi E and Yamaguchi T. Telemetry system for recording neural activities in pigs – comparison with cable system. Brain Research Bulletin 84: 103-109, 2011.
- Hisakura K, Murata S, Fukunaga K, Myronovych A, Tadano S, Kawasaki T, Kohno K, Ikdea O, Shibasaki Y, Paku S, Ikeda N, Nakano Y, Matsuo R, Konno K, Kobayashi E, Saito T, Yasue H, Tsutsui M, Takeshita T. and Ohkohchi N. Platelets prevent acute liver damage after extended hepatectomy in pig. Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences 17:855-864, 2010.
3. Saito T, Fujiwara S-E, Sasaki Y, Niwa K, Kasuya E, Sakumoto R, Yamaguchi T. and Nemoto T. Technical development for measurement of hippocampal neural activity by radiotelemetry in unrestrained piglets. Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly 43: 247-254, 2009.
4. Ishida T, Takei R, Gautam SH, Otsuguro K, Ohta T, Ito S, Habara Y. and Saito T. Voltage- gated channel properties of epithelial cells in porcine vomeronasal organ. Neuroscience Letters 441: 277-281, 2008.
5. Rezaeian A, Katafuchi T, Hiraiwa N, Saito T, Nishibori M, Hamano K, Yoshizawa M, Minamino N and Yasue H. Porcine CRSP1, 2 and 3 genomic organization, their expressions in tissue and functions. Cytogenic and Genome Research 121:41-49, 2008.