The research group developed a novel deep learning (DL)-based image analysis platform called Python-based human-in-the-loop workflow (PHILOW). Analysis of dense, large, and isotropic volumes of electron microscopy using PHILOW reveals the complex 3D nanostructure of both inner and outer mitochondrial membranes and provides quantitative structural features of cristae in a large number of individual mitochondria.

The research group uncovered the pivotal role the nigrostriatal system plays in integrating past rewards to dictate future actions in rats. This study provides insights into the influence of reward expectation on neuronal activity, challenging traditional beliefs about dopamine's role in action through the modulation of striatal output activity.

Using MRI brain imaging data sets of four major psychiatric disorders from 14 institutions in a multicenter research system, we proposed a new data-driven classification based on subcortical regional volumes and found the association between this classification and cognitive/social functions. These results are expected to be useful for the development of new objective diagnostic methods for psychiatric disorders.

Focal Point on Brain Science in Japan, an advertisement feature collection showcasing research of Brain/MINDS and Brain/MINDS Beyond, was published on 3 August 2023 in the online version of Nature, a weekly international journal publishing the finest peer-reviewed research in science and technology.

We found that auditory-evoked gamma oscillation decreased in ultra-high-risk individuals for psychosis and in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, while spontaneous power of gamma oscillation remained unchanged. The results would be useful in understanding the mechanism of early stages of schizophrenia and contribute to future research on diagnosis and treatment. The work has been published in Translational Psychiatry.

In collaboration with Brain/MINDS Beyond and the Johns Hopkins of Medicine, the research group developed non-invasive high-resolution brain imaging for studying the neural circuits of various primate species. This valuable resource enhances our understanding of the human brain and neurological conditions through data-driven research. The findings have been published in Neuroimage as an invited article.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by seizures due to excessive electrical activity in the brain. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of epilepsy remain unknown. Using a novel radiotracer, [11C]K-2, the first technology to visualize and quantify α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor in the living human brain, researchers have been able to offer insight into the role of AMPA receptor trafficking in epileptogenesis. Their findings could lead to the development of novel therapeutics for patients with epilepsy.