Prof. Osamu Yokoyama M.D., Ph.D.

Name:

Osamu YOKOYAMA

Title:

professor

Date of birth:

December 12, 1956

Field:

Field of speciality: Urolugy, especially neurourology

Membership:

Membership of academic societies: AUA (American Urological Association), International Society for Sexual Medicine, International Medical Society of Paraplegia, International Continence Society, Japanese Urological Association, Japan Medical Society of Paraplegia, Japanese Neurogenic Bladder Society, Japanese Society of Pediatric Urology, Japanese Society of Endourology and ESWL, Japan Society of Andrology, Japanese Society for Impotence Research, Japan Society of Clinical Oncology

Interests:

Interest: Jogging

Research Outline:

Detrusor overactivity (DO) due to neurologic lesions above the brain stem such as those occurring in cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, causes a sense of urgency with or without urge incontinence. Cerebrovascular disease is the third most common cause of death in Japan. After recovery from neurologic lesions to various degrees, a permanent deficit may become apparent after a few weeks or months. To define new targets for pharmacological therapeutic approaches, further knowledge of the brain mechanisms of DO is needed. We have been developing animal models with DO caused by cerebral infarction, neuron-degenerative disease, spinal cord injury, bladder outlet obstruction and so on. Using these animal models, we will study the underlying mechanisms to develop DO, and whether new agents acting on the brain are beneficial for the treatment of DO.

Message:

Further research on the pharmacological and molecular mechanism in the brain including DO can be expected to result in pharmacological or gene therapy specifically targeting the micturition center. We hope an international graduate student who has a mind to try his/her best.