Research on the evaluation of human health effects and therapy against MeHg exposure Establishment of objective methods for evaluating neurological signs of methylmercury poisoning: I use magnetoencephalography and 3 Tesla MRI to carry out research with the aim of establishing objective methods and clinically useful indices for evaluating brain functions in methylmercury poisoning cases.
Magnetoencephalography3 Tesla MRI
In addition, I am examining the utility of magnetic stimulation therapy and botulinum therapy to treat involuntary movement, refractory chronic pain and other such conditions that cause lower QOL in Minamata disease patients, including spasticity and dystonia.
Evaluation of health risk of high-concentration methylmercury intake from whale In order to examine health impacts by high-concentration mercury exposure as a result of daily seafood intakes, I perform health surveys in Taiji Town, where high-concentration methylmercury exposure takes place as a result of a whale-eating diet.
Work
Regional welfare support work I have also been working proactively on enhancing the health of people living in methylmercury-polluted areas through caregiving support.
Main research achievements
2018
Nakamura M, Etoh S, Sakamoto T, Nakamura T, Jie LX, Miura Y, Itatani M, Hanakawa T. Potential therapeutic effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for tremor in Minamata disease: A case report. J Neurol Sci. 388, 47-9 (2018).
2017
Ser PH, Omi S, Shimizu-Furusawa H, Yasutake A, Sakamoto M, Hachiya N, Konishi S, Nakamura M, Watanabe C. Differences in the responses of three plasma selenium-containing proteins in relation to methylmercury-exposure through consumption of fish/whales. Toxicol Lett. 267, 53-8 (2017).
2016
Iwata T, Takaoka S, Sakamoto M, Maeda E, Nakamura M, Liu XJ, Murata K. Characteristics of hand tremor and postural sway in patients with fetal-type Minamata disease. J Toxicol Sci. 41,757-63 (2016).
Sakamoto M, Murata K, Domingo JL, Yamamoto M, Oliveira RB, Kawakami S, Nakamura M. Implications of mercury concentrations in umbilical cord tissue relation to maternal hair segments as biomarkers for prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Environ Res. 149, 282-7 (2016).
2015
Sakamoto M, Itai T, Yasutake A, Iwasaki T, Yasunaga G, Fujise Y, Nakamura M, Murata K, Man Chan H, Domingo JL, Marumoto M. Mercury speciation and selenium in toothed-whale muscles. Env Res. 143, 55-61 (2015).
2014
Nakamura M, Hachiya N, Murata KY, Nakanishi I, Kondo T, Yasutake A, Miyamoto KI, Ser PH, Omi S, Furusawa H, Watanabe C, Usuki F, Sakamoto M Methylmercury exposure and neurological outcomes in Taiji residents accustomed to consuming whale meat. Environ Int. 68, 25-32 (2014).
Yamamoto M, Yanagisawa R, Motomura E, Nakamura M, Sakamoto M, Takeya M, Eto K. Increased methylmercury toxicity related to obesity in diabetic KK-Ay mice. J Appl Toxicol. 34, 914-23 (2014).
2011
Nakamura M, Yasutake A, Fujimura M, Hachiya N, Marumoto M. Effect of methylmercury administration on choroid plexus function in rats. Arch Toxicol., 85, 911-918 (2011).
Yasutake A, Nakamura M. Induction by mercury compounds of metallothioneins in mouse tissues: inorganic mercury accumulation is not a dominant factor for metallothionein induction in the liver. J Toxicol Sci., 36, 365-372 (2011).
2008
Yamashita T, Ando Y, Ueda M, Nakamura M, Okamoto S, Zeledon ME, Hirahara T, Hirai T, Ueda A, Misumi Y, Obayashi K, Inomata H, Uchino M: Effect of liver transplantation on transthyretin Tyr114Cys-related cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Neurology., 70, 123-128 (2008).
2007
Ueda M, Ando Y, Hakamata Y, Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Obayashi K, Himeno S, Inoue S, Sato Y, Kaneko T, Takamune N, Misumi S, Shoji S, Uchino M, Kobayashi E: A transgenic rat with the human ATTR V30M: a novel tool for analyses of ATTR metabolisms. Biochem Biophys Res Commun., 352, 299-304 (2007).
2006
Ueda M, Ando Y, Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Himeno S, Kim J, Sun X, Saito S, Tateishi T, Bergstrom J, Uchino M: FK506 inhibits murine AA amyloidosis: possible involvement of T cells in amyloidogenesis. J Rheumatol., 33, 2260-2270 (2006)
2005
Kawaji T, Ando Y, Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Wakita M, Ando E, Hirata A, Tanihara T: Ocular amyloid angiopathy associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy ATTR Y114C. Ophthalmology., 112, 2212 (2005).
Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Ueda M, Obayashi K, Sato T, Ikeda T, Washimi Y, Hirai T, Kuwahara Y, Yamamoto T, Uchino M, Ando Y: Neuroradiologic and clinicopathologic features of oculoleptomeningeal type amyloidosis. Neurology., 65, 1051-1056 (2005).
Saito S, Ando Y, Nakamura M, Ueda M, Kim J, Ishima Y, Akaike T, Otagiri M: Effect of Nitric Oxide in Amyloid Fibril Formation on Transthyretin-Related Amyloidosis. Biochemistry., 44, 11122-11129 (2005).
Nakamura M, Ando Y, Sasada K, Haraoka K, Ueda M, Okabe H, Motomiya Y: Role of extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) in patients under maintenance hemodialysis. Nephron Clin Pract., 101, c109-c115 (2005).
2004
Yamashita T, Ando Y, Nakamura M, Obayashi K, Terazaki H, Haraoka K, Sun X, Ueda M, Uchino M: Inhibitory effect of α-tocopherol on methylmercury-induced oxidative stress.Environ Health Prev., Med 9, 111- 117 (2004).
Ando Y, Terazaki H, Nakamura M, Ando E, Haraoka K, Yamashita T, Ueda M, Okabe H, Sasaki Y, Tanihara H, Uchino M, Inomata Y: A different amyloid formation mechanism: De novo oculoleptomeningeal amyloid deposits after liver transplantation. Transplantation., 77,345-349 (2004).
Obayashi K, Ando Y, Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Ueda M, Haraoka K, Terazaki H, Uchino M: Macroscopic assessment of skin venules in fingers using near-infrared spectrophotoscopy- as a useful marker of autonomic dysfunction-. Neurology., 63, 164-166 (2004).
Nakamura M, Ando Y, Nagahara S, Sano A, Ochiya T, Maeda S, Kawaji T, Ogawa M, Hirata A, Terazaki H, Haraoka K, Tanihara H, Ueda M, Uchino M, Yamamura K: Targeted conversion of the transthyretin gene in vitro and in vivo. Gene Ther., 11, 838-846 (2004).
Nakamura M, Ando Y: Applications of gene therapy for FAP. Expert Opin Biol Ther., 4, 1621-1628 (2004).
2002
Ando Y, Nakamura M, Kai H, Katsuragi S, Terazaki H, Nozawa T, Okuda T, Misumi S, Matsunaga N, Hata K, Tajiri T, Shoji S, Yamashita T, Haraoka K, Obayashi K, Matsumoto K, Ando M, Uchino M: A novel localized amyloidosis associated with lactoferrin in the cornea. Lab Invest., 82, 757-765 (2002).
2001
Uchino M, Mita S, Satoh H, Uchino M, Mita S, Satoh H, Hirano T, Arimura K, Nakamura M, Nakamura M, Uyama E, Ando Y, Wakamiya J, Futatsuka M: Clinical investigation of the lesions responsible for sensory disturbance in Minamata disease. Tohoku J Exp Med., 195, 181-189 (2001).
2000
Nakamura M, Hamidi Asl K, Benson MD: A novel variant of transthyretin (Glu89Lys) associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy. Amyloid., 7, 46-50 (2000).
1999
Nakamura M, Yamashita T, Ando Y, Hamidi Asl K, Tashima K, Ohlsson PI, Kususe Y, Benson MD: Identification of a new transthyretin variant (Ile49) in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nonisotopic RNase cleavage assay. Hum Hered., 49, 186-189 (1999).
Hamidi Asl K, Liepnieks JJ, Nakamura M, Benson MD: Organ-specific (localized) synthesis of Ig Light Chain Amyloid. J Immunol., 162, 5556-5560 (1999).
1998
Klein CJ, Nakamura M, Jacobson DR, Lacy MQ, Benson MD, Peterson RC: Transthyretin amyloidosis (serine 44) with headache, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy. Neurology., 51, 1462-1464 (1998).
1996
Fukushima M, Nakamura M, Ohta K, Okamura R, Negi A, Tanaka H: Regional specification of motor neurons along theanterior-posterior axis is independent of the notochord. Development., 122, 905-914 (1996).
Nakamura M, Ohta K, Hirokawa K, Fukushima M, Uchino M, Ando M, Tanaka H: Developmental and denervation changesin c-ret proto-oncogene expression in the chick motoneuron. Molecular Brain Research., 39, 1-11 (1996).
Externally-funded research
FY2016-2018 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Principal Investigator)
FY2011-2013 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Principal Investigator)
FY2007-2010 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (Principal Investigator)
FY2003-2004 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Co-Investigator)
FY2003 Sagawa Advanced Science and Technology Research Grant (Principal Investigator)
Main career history, academic history, academic degrees, awards, etc.
Doctor of Medicine, Neurology Specialist certified by the Japanese Society of Neurology, Physician certified by the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
2004Encouragement Award, Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine
2003Kumamoto University School of Medicine Internal Medicine Department Alumni Association Award
1996-1999Doctoral research fellow, Indiana University, U.S.
1996Doctoral Course in Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, graduated
1987School of Medicine, Kumamoto University, graduated
