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Hitoshi Morikawa is engaged in cutting-edge research focusing on the neural plasticity within the mesostriatal dopaminergic system, critical for understanding reward-based learning and the development of addiction. His work investigates the cellular mechanisms responsible for calcium-dependent regulation of neuronal activity and plasticity. Utilizing advanced techniques such as brain slice electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and UV photolysis of caged compounds, he conducts comprehensive studies on how calcium signaling influences neuronal physiology and plasticity within this system. Additionally, he employs behavioral assays, including conditioned place preference and food-conditioned approach, in conjunction with stereotaxic injection of pharmacological agents and viruses to manipulate specific brain areas. Through his research, Morikawa aims to elucidate the links between specific signaling processes at the cellular and molecular levels and the learning processes involved in addictive behavior in animal models. He is particularly interested in how daily life experiences—such as stress, diet, and exercise—affect these processes and potentially determine risk factors for therapeutic strategies addressing neuropsychiatric conditions associated with dysregulation of the dopaminergic system, including addiction, schizophrenia, and depression.
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