Hokto Kazama, Ph.D.

Research Overview

Animals decide and act based on past and current sensory information. The major goal of our lab is to mechanistically understand how neural processing of external input guides behavior and how this processing is modulated depending on the environmental and behavioral contexts.

To achieve this goal, we are using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which has been increasingly recognized as one of the ideal organisms for investigating the neural circuit basis of behavior. Due to the relatively small number of central neurons, many neurons in the fly brain are identifiable and accessible. We can monitor the responses of these neurons to sensory stimuli by in vivo electrophysiology and imaging. Various genetic tools are available for not only labeling but also manipulating neurons. On the other hand, technologies have been developed to monitor individual flies behaving in a virtual environment where external stimuli can be precisely controlled online. With these data in hand, we will utilize quantitative modeling approaches to better understand the computation and the neural mechanisms underlying behavior at cellular, synaptic and circuit levels.

Main Research Fields

Complex Systems

Related Research Fields

Biological Sciences

Keywords

• Sensory processing
• Decoding
• Neural circuits
• Sensorimotor transformation

Selected Publications

1. Kato, A., Ohta, K., Okanoya, K., Kazama, H.:
   "Dopaminergic neurons dynamically update sensory values during olfactory maneuver."
   Cell Reports. 42, 113122 (2023).
2. Endo, K. and Kazama, H.:
   "Central organization of a high-dimensional odor space."
   Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 73:10252 (2022).
3. Endo, K., Tsuchimoto, Y., Kazama, H.:
   "Synthesis of conserved odor object representations in a random, divergent-convergent network."
   Neuron. 108, 367-381 (2020).
   10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.029
4. Shiozaki, H.M., Ohta, K., Kazama, H.:
   "A multi-regional network encoding heading and steering maneuvers in Drosophila."
   Neuron. 106, 126-141 (2020).
   10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.009
5. Mercier, D., Tsuchimoto, Y., Ohta, K., Kazama, H.:
   "Olfactory landmark-based communication in interacting Drosophila."
   Current Biology. 28, 2624-2631 (2018).
   10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.005
6. Takagi, S., Cocanougher, B.T., Niki, S., Miyamoto D., Kohsaka, H., Kazama, H., Fetter, R.D., Truman, J.W., Zlatic, M., Cardona, A., Nose, A.:
   "Divergent connectivity of homologous command-like neurons mediates segment-specific touch responses in Drosophila."
   Neuron. 96, 1373-1387 (2017).
   10.1016/j.neuron.2017.10.030
7. Shiozaki, H.M. and Kazama, H.:
   "Parallel encoding of recent visual experience and self-motion during navigation in Drosophila."
   Nature Neuroscience. 20, 1395-1403 (2017).
   10.1038/nn.4628
8. Inada, K., Tsuchimoto, Y., Kazama, H.:
   "Origins of cell-type-specific olfactory processing in the Drosophila mushroom body circuit."
   Neuron. 95, 357-367 (2017).
   10.1016/j.neuron.2017.06.039
9. Badel, L., Ohta, K., Tsuchimoto, Y., Kazama, H.:
   "Decoding of context-dependent olfactory behavior in Drosophila."
   Neuron. 91, 155-167 (2016).
   10.1016/j.neuron.2016.05.022
10. Kazama H.:
    "Systems neuroscience in Drosophila: conceptual and technical advantages."
    Neuroscience. 296, 3-14 (2015).
    10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.035