Teruhiro Okuyama

2013 - 2017: Ventral CA1 neurons store social memory
Science 353(6307); 1536-1541 (2016)
For animals who form a society, it is crucial to remember and recognize different conspecific individuals (Social memory), and exhibit appropriate social behavior toward each other. Using optogenetic techniques, I demonstrated that vCA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus store social memory. Even if the memory is lost after long separation, optogenetic activation of the ensemble can fully restore the social memory. Additionally, artificial association between a neural ensemble encoding the memory of a specific individual with fear or reward events can elicit avoidance from or preference for the individual, respectively.

2006 – 2013: A neural mechanism nderlying mating preferences for familiar individuals
Science 343(6166); 91-94 (2014)
Female mating preference is influenced by social familiarity in various species from fish
to primates. I showed in Japanese medaka fish that females prefer to mate with visually familiarized males over unfamiliar males and that this preference is mediated
by Terminal-nerve GnRH neurons in the female brain.


[Other Selected Publications]

Distinct Neural Circuits for the Formation and Retrieval of Episodic Memories.
Roy DS, Kitamura T, Okuyama T, Ogawa SK, Sun C, Obata Y, Yoshiki A, Tonegawa S
Cell 170(5) 1000-1012.e19 (2017)

Engrams and circuits crucial for systems consolidation of a memory.
Kitamura T, Ogawa SK, Roy DS, Okuyama T, Morrissey MD, Smith LM, Redondo RL, Tonegawa S
Science 356:73-78 (2017)