Awards

  1. 2024 Star Reviewer (American Physiological Society)
    Recipient: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    [American Physiological Society Website]
  2. The 26th Promotion Award of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Manami Oya
    Title of study: Neural networks of hypothalamic neuronal groups with melanocortin-4 receptor-bearing primary cilia
  3. Physiological Reports Poster Award at the 100th Anniversary Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Takaki Yahiro
    Awarded poster: Exploration of thermosensory neural pathways that drive thermoregulatory behavior
  4. Poster Presentation Award at the 4th CIBoG Retreat
    Awardee: Takaki Yahiro
    Awarded poster: Exploration of thermosensory central neural pathways for thermoregulatory behavior
  5. 2021 Award for Science and Technology (Research Category) as the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Research on central mechanisms of psychosomatic responses to overcome stress-related diseases
    [Nagoya University Website]
  6. The 22nd Promotion Award of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Naoya Kataoka
    Title of study: Elucidation of the psychosomatic mechanism that drives psychological stress responses
  7. 2018 Annual Award of Japan Society of Neurovegetative Research for the Best Articles
    Awardee: Yoshiko Nakamura
    Awarded paper: Medullary reticular neurons mediate neuropeptide Y-induced metabolic inhibition and mastication
  8. The Professor Geoffrey Burnstock Awards for Young Investigators at the Congress of the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience (ISAN) 2017
    Awardee: Yoshiko Nakamura
  9. 2015 Yas Kuno Memorial Award from the Environmental Physiology Group of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Naoya Kataoka
    Awarded paper: Psychological stress activates a dorsomedial hypothalamus–medullary raphe circuit driving brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and hyperthermia
  10. The 11th Japan Academy Medal Prize from the Japan Academy
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
  11. The 11th JSPS Prize from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
  12. 2014 Henry Pickering Bowditch Award from the American Physiological Society
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    [News Release from APS]
  13. 2013 Annual Award of Japan Society of Neurovegetative Research for the Best Articles
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Awarded paper: A thermosensory pathway mediating heat defense responses
  14. The 18th Young Investigator Poster Award at the 18th Adiposcience Symposium
    Awardee: Naoya Kataoka
  15. Young Investigator Presentation Award at 2013 FASEB Summer Research Conferences "Neural Mechanisns in Cardiovascular Regulation"
    Awardee: Yoshiko Nakamura
  16. 2012 Young Scientists' Award as the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Study of the central neural mechanisms of body temperature regulation and fever
  17. The 11th Promotion Award of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Elucidation of the central neural mechanism of thermoregulation
    [Physiological Society of Japan Website]
  18. 2010 Yas Kuno Memorial Award from the Environmental Physiology Group of the Physiological Society of Japan
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Awarded paper: Central efferent pathways mediating skin cooling-evoked sympathetic thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue
  19. 2010 American Physiological Society (APS) Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation Section (NCAR) New Investigator Award
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
  20. The 3rd International Symposium on Physiology and Pharmacology of Temperature Regulation Young Researcher Award
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Double tracing analysis of prostaglandin EP3 receptor-expressing preoptic neurons that project to the dorsomedial hypothalamus and rostral raphe pallidus
  21. 2007 Festival of Lights Award from the Neurological Sciences Institute at Oregon Health & Science University
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
  22. Society financial support to attend the 5th Congress of the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: A thermosensory pathway controlling sympathetic and shivering thermogenesis
  23. Second International Meeting on the Physiology and Pharmacology of Temperature Regulation Young Researcher Award
    Awardee: Yoshiko Nakamura
    Title of study: Direct projection of prostaglandin EP3 receptor-expressing preoptic neurons to the dorsomedial hypothalamus mediates febrile responses
  24. 2005 Japan Neuroscience Society Young Investigator Award
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Elucidation of the central regulatory system for autonomic physiological functions
  25. 2005 American Physiological Society Neural Control & Autonomic Regulation Section Research Recognition Award
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Sympathetic premotor neurons mediating febrile responses and thermoregulatory functions
  26. 2005 Annual Symposium of Society for Neuroscience Oregon Chapter Travel Award
    Awardee: Kazuhiro Nakamura
    Title of study: Identification of a novel group of sympathetic premotor neurons for fever and thermoregulatory functions

Major Public Funding Awarded

English Articles in Scientific Society Newsletters

  1. Manami Oya (Kazuhiro Nakamura). A mechanism of middle-aged obesity. Physiological Society of Japan Website, Science Topics-173 (2024).
  2. Akihiro Fukushima (Kazuhiro Nakamura). “Love burns fat”––Oxytocinergic neural pathway that promotes fat combustion identified. Physiological Society of Japan Website, Science Topics-159 (2022).
  3. Naoya Kataoka (Kazuhiro Nakamura). A mind－body connection in the brain: a key neural pathway for stress responses. Physiological Society of Japan Website, Science Topics-134 (2020).
  4. Kazuhiro Nakamura. Brain pathway that drives psychological stress-induced hyperthermia. Physiological Society of Japan Website, Science Topics-96 (2014).
  5. Kazuhiro Nakamura & Masayuki Saito. Update on brown adipose tissue functions and their mechanisms. (Summary of the 89th Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan) J. Physiol. Soc. Japan 74, 299–302 (2012).
  6. Kazuhiro Nakamura & Shaun F. Morrison. Central neural circuitry for shivering. Physiology News (The Physiological Society, U.K.) 85, 21–24 (2011).

International Press Releases

  1. Middle-age obesity is caused by changes in the shape of neurons in the brain. Released by Nagoya University, March 14, 2024.
  2. Researchers discovered the mechanism of middle-aged obesity : A major step toward innovative prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases. Released by Nagoya University, March 7, 2024.
  3. Understanding brain network connecting temperature sensation and emotion may help prevent heatstroke. Released by Nagoya University, July 20, 2023.
  4. Researchers discovered two separate brain neural pathways for avoidance of hot and cold environments. Released by Nagoya University, July 4, 2023.
  5. Study identifies key neurons that maintain body temperature at 37°C in mammals. Released by Nagoya University, December 26, 2022.
  6. Researchers identified “master neurons” for body temperature regulation. Released by Nagoya University, December 24, 2022.
  7. Researchers discovered brain neural pathway for the “love hormone” oxytocin to burn fat. Released by Nagoya University, September 21, 2022.
  8. Found: Neural circuit that drives physical responses to emotional stress. Released by Nagoya University, April 30, 2020.
  9. Researchers discover psychosomatic mechanism in the brain. Released by Nagoya University, March 6, 2020.
  10. Different Sensory Pathways Engaged in Feeling and Responding to External Temperature. Released by Nagoya University, August 3, 2017.
  11. Seeking comfortable temperature not need “feeling”. Released by Nagoya University, July 11, 2017.
  12. New insights into brain circuit for hunger responses during starvation. Released by Nagoya University, January 26, 2017.
  13. Researchers identify brain circuits to survive starvation. Released by Nagoya University, January 6, 2017.
  14. Researchers identify brain circuits involved in stress-induced fevers. Released by Cell Press, June 26, 2014.
  15. APS Announces 2014 Society Lectureship Award Winners. Released by The American Physiological Society, April 26, 2014.
  16. Kazuhiro Nakamura has been selected as the recipient of the Bowditch Award. Released by Kyoto University, October 31, 2013 [in Japanese].
  17. Elucidation of the brain mechanism to drive shivering. Released by Kyoto University, May 31, 2011 [in Japanese].
  18. Elucidation of the thermosensory mechanism to defend body temperature from heat challenges. Released by Kyoto University, April 27, 2010 [in Japanese].
  19. A pathway controlling body temperature. Released by Nature Neuroscience, January, 2008.
  20. OHSU Researchers Reveal the Science of Shivering. Released by Oregon Health & Science University, December 17, 2007.

International Media Coverage

  1. Why it's harder to shed weight as you get older (and how to fight it). BBC Science Focus, April 10, 2024.
  2. Shape Changes in Brain Cells Could Play a Critical Role in Middle-Age Spread. ScienceAlert, March 19, 2024.
  3. Middle-age obesity is caused by changes in brain structure. earth.com, March 18, 2024.
  4. Neuron Shapes Possibly Linked to Middle-Age Obesity. The Dallas Express, March 15, 2024.
  5. Why Your Brain Makes It Harder to Stay Slim After 40: A New Perspective. Brain Tomorrow, March 13, 2024.
  6. Middle-age obesity linked to shape-shifting brain neurons. New Atlas, March 13, 2024.
  7. Japanese researchers find mechanism behind middle-age weight gain. NHK World News, March 7, 2024.
  8. Nagoya University finds mechanism behind middle-age weight gain. The Japan Times, March 7, 2024.
  9. Japan Team Finds Mechanism behind Middle-Age Weight Gain. The Japan News, March 7, 2024.
  10. Japan Team Finds Mechanism behind Middle-Age Weight Gain. Jiji Press News, March 7, 2024.
  11. Temperature-regulating neurons identified, hint at treatment strategies for heat stroke, obesity. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, December 27, 2022.
  12. Temperatura corporea, identificati i neuroni-termostato nel cervello dei mammiferi. Sky TG24, December 27, 2022.
  13. Identificati i neuroni-termostato nel cervello dei mammiferi. ANSA.it, December 27, 2022.
  14. Brain ‘switch’ that controls body temperature identified by scientists. Metro UK, December 26, 2022.
  15. Study identifies crucial neurons that keep mammals’ core body temperatures at 37 °C. Tech Explorist, December 24, 2022.
  16. Wie die Körpertemperatur reguliert wird. Wissenschaft.de, December 23, 2022.
  17. Un equipo científico descubre las neuronas que mantienen nuestro cuerpo a 37 grados. elDiario.es, December 23, 2022.
  18. Scoperti i neuroni che mantengono la temperatura corporea costante. MeteoWeb, December 23, 2022.
  19. On a identifié les neurones qui maintiennent notre corps à 37 °C ! Le Parisien, December 23, 2022.
  20. Descubren las neuronas que mantienen en 37º C la temperatura corporal de los mamíferos. RTVE.es, December 23, 2022.
  21. A possible new way to treat heat stroke, hypothermia, and even obesity. Revyuh, December 23, 2022.
  22. Too much stress can trigger a fever — here's how to diagnose and treat it. INSIDER, January 22, 2022.
  23. How coronavirus stress may scramble our brains. Science News, May 24, 2020.
  24. Psychology Research Helps Explain Why People Bring Guns To Protests. Forbes, May 5, 2020.
  25. Neural circuit that drives physical responses to emotional stress found. ScienceDaily, May 3, 2020.
  26. Neural circuit that drives physical responses to emotional stress discovered. Neuroscience News, May 2, 2020.
  27. Comment le stress donne de la "fie`vre". Sciences et Avenir, April 14, 2020.
  28. Quand le stress devient physique. Cerveau & Psycho, April 14, 2020.
  29. Brain regions found in rats that drive stress response. Medical Xpress, March 6, 2020.
  30. A "totally unexplored" brain region explains the physical toll of stress. Inverse, March 5, 2020.
  31. Finding the Hot Seat of the Brain. Asian Scientist, August 11, 2017.
  32. Different Sensory Pathways Engaged in Feeling And Responding to External Temperature. Science Newsline, August 3, 2017.
  33. It’s all in the mind: Trigger for obesity linked to hunger. The Asahi Shimbun, February 9, 2017.
  34. Hunger Responses: How Brain Could Function To Increase The Chance Of Survival During Starvation. Latinos Health, January 29, 2017.
  35. New insights into brain circuit for hunger responses during starvation. ScienceDaily, January 26, 2017.
  36. Stress can make you sick. The San Diego Union-tribune, August 6, 2014.
  37. Chronic Stress Can Cause Fever And Fatigue; New Neural Understanding May Offer Help. Medical Daily, June 26, 2014.
  38. APS Announces 2014 Society Lectureship Award Winners; Winners recognized for excellence in physiology to present lectures at Experimental Biology. NewsWise, April 26, 2014.
  39. Cold? That shivering isn’t all in your head. Portland Tribune, January 11, 2008, pages 1 & 5.
  40. OHSU researchers reveal the science of shivering. The Asian Reporter, January 8, 2008 (Vol. 18, Number 2), page 11.
  41. Chilly? Meet the Brrrain's Shiver Center. CBS News, December 18, 2007.

    42. Copyright (c) 2009-2025 Department of Integrative Physiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine