Our organization, departments, staff and researchers
Atsushi Nakamura
The research group I work for : Medical Practice/Welfare/Society Group, Pathomechanism Group
My main work is rehabilitation care for fetal or childhood Minamata disease patients. I perform physical therapy designed to alleviate pain and muscle tension typical in fetal Minamata disease patients in chronic phase, as well as exercise therapy designed to improve decreased muscle strength and walking capacity. In addition, I provide occupational therapy services as well, such as those using leather craft, skill screen, SAORI and kimekomi art, catering to the particular needs of the patient.
Research theme - Areas of work
Project Research
Research on the evaluation of human health impacts of methylmercury exposure and on relevant treatment (Co-Investigator)
Basic research on neurotoxicity mechanisms with methylmercury poisoning and on the prevention and treatment to address them (Co-Investigator)
Work
Providing rehabilitation care and supplying information to Minamata disease patients (Principal staff member)
Main research achievements
2022
Akasaki Y, Tabira T, Maruta M, Makizako H, Miyata M, Han G, Ikeda Y, Nakamura A, Shimokihara S, Hidaka Y, Kamasaki T, Kubozono T, Ohishi M: Social frailty and meaningful activities among community-dwelling older adults with heart disease. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19(22) 15167-15167, 2022
Ikeda Y, Maruta M, Han G, Miyata H, Nakamura A, Shimokihara S, Tabira T: Implication of refrigerator management on subjective memory complaints among Japanese Community-dwelling older adults. Pshychogeriatrics: the official journal of the Japanese Pshychogeriatric Society. 2022
Shimokihara S, Maruta M, Nakamura A, Ikeda Y, Tabira T: Characteristics by gender and by age group of everyday life tasks valued by elderly local residents Baseline study of mass-scale cohort data, Sagyo Ryoho Janaru (The Japanese journal of occupational therapy), 56(5)459-465,2022.
Miyata H, Maruta M, Makizako H, Han G, Ikeda Y, Nakamura A, Tokuda K, Shimokihara S, Akaida S, Hidaka Y, Akasaki Y, Kubozono T, Ohishi M, Tabira T: Association between satisfaction with meaningful activities and social frailty in community-dwelling Japanese older adulta. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 100 104665-104665, 2022.
Maruta M, Makizako H, Ikeda Y, Han G, Shimokihara S, Miyata H, Nakamura A, Tokuda K, Kubozono T, Ohishi M, Tomori K, Akaida S, Tabira T: Characteristics of meaningful activities in community-dwelling Japanese older adults with pre-frailty and frailty. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 99 104616-104616, 2022.
2021
Nakamura A, Maruta M, Makizako H, Miyata M, Miyata H, Han G, Ikeda Y, Shimokihara S, Tokuda K, Kubozono T, Ohishi M, Tabira T: Meaningful activities and psychosomatic functions in japanese older adults after driving cessation. International jornal of environmental research and public health. 18(24),2021.
Ikeda Y, Maruta M, Shimokihara S, Nakamura A, Han G, Tabira T: Difficulties in the use of everyday technology among older adults with subjective memory complaint and cognitive decline. Gerontology.1-9, 2021
Nakamura A, Maruta M, Makizako H, Miyata M, Miyata H, Han G, Ikeda Y, Shimokihara S, Tokuda K, Kubozono T, Ohishi M, Tabira T: Meaningful activities and psychosomatic functions in japanese older adults after driving cessation. International jornal of environmental research and public health. 18(24),2021.
Fujimura M, Usuki F, Nakamura A: Methylmercury induces hyperalgesia/allodynia through spinal cord dorsal horn neuronal activation and subsequent somatosensory cortical circuit formation in rats. Archives of toxicology. 95(6) 2151-2162 (2021).
2020
Maruta M, Makizako M, Ikeda Y, Miyata H, Nakamura A, Han G, Shimokihara S, Tokuda K, Kubozono T, Ohishi M, Tomori K, Tabira T: Associations between depressive symptoms and satisfaction with meaningful activities in community-dwelling japanese older adults. Journal of clinical medicine.9(3), 2020.
2019
Usuki F, Fujimura M, Nakamura A, Nakano J, Okita M, Higuchi I: Local vibration stimuli induce mechanical stress-induced factors and facilitate recovery from immobilization-induced oxidative myofiber atrophy in Rats. Frontiers in Physiology.10,759-759 (2019)
Fujimura M, Usuki F, Nakamura A: Fasudil, a rho-associated coiled coil-forming protein kinase inhibitor, recovers methylmercury induced axonal degeneration by changing microglial phenotype in rats. Toxicological Sciences. 168, 126-136 (2019).
Maruta M, Tahira T, Makisako H, Han G, Yoshimitsu K, Nakamura A, Kubozono T, Oishi M. The relationship between a Theory of Mind test and social participation among community-dwelling elderly people living alone. Ronen Seishin-Igaku Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry). 30(2) 177-184, 2019.
2018
Nakamura A, Usuki F. A case of a chronic fetal Minamata disease patient whose spontaneous gait between parallel bars improved with HAL (robotic suit) application. Sogo Rehabilitation (General Rehabilitation). 46(7) 667-670, 2018.
[Lectures, etc.]
Atsushi Nakamura: Rehabilitation therapy for Minamata disease patients. Organized by Niigata Prefecture (Niigata Learning Center for Humans & the Environment). November 25, 2018.
Externally-funded research
FY2019-2021 JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (Co-Investigator)
Experimental research on regenerative treatment of axon and muscle fiber for nerve and muscle dysfunction by methylmercury
Main career history, academic history, academic degrees, awards, etc.
March 2022Doctor of Health Science (Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kagoshima University, completed)
January 2022Chair, 17th Kumamoto Occupational Therapy Conference, Kumamoto Association of Occupational Therapists
March 2019Master of Health Science (Master’s Program, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kagoshima University, completed)
March 2019Authorized Occupational Therapist, Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists (Authorization Number: 2296)
November 2015Assigned to the post of Occupational Therapist at the National Institute for Minamata Disease
2003-2015Worked in hospitals in Fukuoka Prefecture and in Kumamoto Prefecture
