Ph.D., OTR Nan Liang
Therapeutic interventions focused on the activation of the central nervous system (CNS) are crucial for patients who suffer from physical disorders. Our laboratory using neurophysiological, neuropsychological, brain imaging, and three-dimensional motor analysis techniques aims to measure non-invasively the changes in the CNS excitability during cognitive and motor activities in order to develop the novel and evidence-based therapeutic programs. We aim to apply the knowledge and skills from the fundamental research to benefit the clinical treatments of patients, in other words, to perform the translational research from laboratory to clinical medicine.
Research and Education
Our laboratory aims to set forward the rehabilitation/ occupational therapy in an academic way with the education, research, and clinical practice. We engage in the lectures and practices related to the occupational therapy of physical disorders with the undergraduate students, and do researches in the specific areas of the laboratory staffs with the graduate students. Everybody interested in the rehabilitation science and neuroscience with a fervent spirit will receive a warm welcome. The details of our research interests are shown below.
- The central mechanisms for voluntary movements
- The Difference and interaction between the cerebral hemispheres
- The central mechanisms and training effects of motor imagery, action observation, and kinesthetic illusion
- Developments and clinical assessments of rehabilitative approaches by using VR/MR systems
- The brain activity during dual tasks including cognitive and motor functions
- The recovery mechanisms for patients with the nervous system diseases
- The interaction of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and motor learning
- Developments of digital therapeutics for the developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
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| Figure 1．Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) utilized to explore non-invasively the corticospinal excitability in humans. |
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| Figure 2. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and neuronavigation system utilized to identify precisely the brain areas activated. |
Recent Publications
- Matsumoto A, Ogawa A, Oshima C, Aruga R, Ikeda M, Sasaya R, Toriyama M, Irie K, Liang N. Attentional focus differentially modulates the corticospinal and intracortical excitability during dynamic and static exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 136: 807-820, 2024.
- Ogawa A, Sakamoto M, Matsumoto A, Okusaki T, Sasaya R, Irie K, Liang N. Accuracy of force generation and preparatory prefrontal oxygenation in ballistic hand power and precision grips. Journal of Motor Behavior 56: 226-240, 2024.
- Irie K, Zhao S, Aruga R, Matsumoto A, Ogawa A, Liang N. Lack of action-sentence compatibility effect in non-clinical individuals with high autistic traits. Front Psychol 14:1293405, 2023.
- Matsumoto A, Ueda H, Ogawa A, Oshima C, Irie K, Liang N. External and internal focus of attention differentially modulate corticospinal excitability in anticipatory postural adjustments. Scientific Reports 12: 22385, 2022.
- Kaneshige M, Obara K, Suzuki M, Tazoe T, Nishimura Y. Tuning of motor outputs produced by spinal stimulation during voluntary control of torque directions in monkeys. Elife 11: e78346, 2022.
Laboratory
Professor：Nan Liang Ph.D., OTR
E-mail：liang.nan.3z@kyoto-u.ac.jp
Lecturer：Keisuke Irie Ph.D., OTR
E-mail：irie.keisuke.8n@kyoto-u.ac.jp
Assistant Professor：Miki Kaneshige Ph.D., OTR
E-mail：kaneshige.miki.8n@kyoto-u.ac.jp
Program-specific Assistant Professor：Yuto Iwanaga M.S., OTR
E-mail：iwanaga.yuto.8u@kyoto-u.ac.jp
Program-specific Assistant Professor：Kengo Fujiwara Ph.D., OTR
E-mail：fujiwara.kengo.5d@kyoto-u.ac.jp
TEL & FAX：075-751-3973 (Liang) 3968 (Irie, Iwanaga, Fujiwara) 3965 (Kaneshige)
https://neuroot.hs.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp/CognMotNeurosci/index.html