Akitoshi Chikamoto, DVM
Postdoctoral AssociateAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Velocity sensitivity of mechanotransduction in the afferent terminal underlies vibration detection in the Pacinian corpuscle
Chikamoto A, Meng M, Gracheva E, Bagriantsev S. Velocity sensitivity of mechanotransduction in the afferent terminal underlies vibration detection in the Pacinian corpuscle. Nature Communications 2026, 17: 2122. PMID: 41775685, PMCID: PMC12957390, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69251-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study shows that Pacinian corpuscles detect high-frequency vibrations due to the afferent terminal's sensitivity to stimulus velocity, rather than outer core filtering.
2025
The inner core enables transient touch detection in the Pacinian corpuscle
Ziolkowski L, Nikolaev Y, Chikamoto A, Oda M, Feketa V, Monedero-Alonso D, Ardasheva S, Bae S, Xu C, Pang S, Gracheva E, Bagriantsev S. The inner core enables transient touch detection in the Pacinian corpuscle. Science Advances 2025, 11: eadt4837. PMID: 40009676, PMCID: PMC11864184, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt4837.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Plasticity occurs in a specific phenotype of neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius of dystrophin gene‐mutated rats
Chikamoto A, Tochinai R, Sekizawa S, Kuwahara M. Plasticity occurs in a specific phenotype of neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius of dystrophin gene‐mutated rats. European Journal Of Neuroscience 2023, 58: 4282-4297. PMID: 37933572, DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16179.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExcitatory postsynaptic currentsDuchenne muscular dystrophyNucleus tractus solitariusNTS neuronsDM ratsMiniature excitatory postsynaptic currentsDuchenne muscular dystrophy patientsHyperpolarised membrane potentialsDystrophin protein expressionPaired-pulse ratioAutonomic nervous dysfunctionPhenotype of neuronsPatch-clamp experimentsOutward currentPostsynaptic currentsProgressive neuromuscular disorderRespiratory failureNeuronal excitabilityDystrophin deficiencyCardiorespiratory deteriorationElectrophysiological phenotypeNervous dysfunctionSynaptic transmissionDisease progressionBrainstem nuclei
2019
Effects of environmental enrichment on autonomic nervous activity in NSY mice
Kaneko K, Chikamoto A, Hsu J, Tochinai R, Sekizawa S, Yamamoto M, Kuwahara M. Effects of environmental enrichment on autonomic nervous activity in NSY mice. EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS 2019, 69: 161-167. PMID: 31735765, PMCID: PMC7220714, DOI: 10.1538/expanim.19-0103.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEnvironmental enrichmentWeeks of ageLong-term housingNSY miceEffects of environmental enrichmentNest boxesExperimental animalsImpaired glucose toleranceAutonomic nervous activityTelemetry transmittersType 2 diabetic miceDisease animal modelsHeart rate variabilityAbsence of EEParasympathetic nervous activityNervous activityAnimalsDiabetes mellitusAssociated with cardiovascular autonomic dysfunctionGlucose tolerancePower spectral analysisRisk of impaired glucose tolerancePower spectral analysis of heart rate variabilityCardiovascular autonomic dysfunctionSpectral analysis of heart rate variabilityEarly attenuation of autonomic nervous function in senescence accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8)
Chikamoto A, Sekizawa S, Tochinai R, Kuwahara M. Early attenuation of autonomic nervous function in senescence accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8). EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS 2019, 68: 511-517. PMID: 31168043, PMCID: PMC6842801, DOI: 10.1538/expanim.19-0032.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSAM prone 8Autonomic nervous functionNervous functionAutonomic nervous activityEarly attenuationPower spectral analysisPower spectral analysis of heart rate variabilitySpectral analysis of heart rate variabilityAge-related studiesNervous activityAnalysis of heart rate variabilityWeeks of ageImmune deficiencySenescence-Accelerated Mouse (SAM) strainsLocomotor activityAnimal modelsHeart rate variabilitySAM strainsYounger ageInbred strainsMouse-prone 8Control strainAging phenotypesElectrocardiogramRate variability