


Toru Iwaki | Last modified date:2020.12.24 |

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Homepage
https://kyushu-u.pure.elsevier.com/en/persons/toru-iwaki
Reseacher Profiling Tool Kyushu University Pure
http://www.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp/neuropath/
Web site of Department of Neuropathology .
Phone
092-642-5536
Fax
092-642-5540
Academic Degree
Medical doctor
Country of degree conferring institution (Overseas)
No
Field of Specialization
Medicine, Pathology, Neuropathology, Neuroscience
Total Priod of education and research career in the foreign country
02years07months
Outline Activities
Subject of studies
(1) Clinicopathological study on dementia: the Hisayama study
The Hisayama study is a prospective population-based study in a Japanese subrural community, Hisayama Town, which has been carried out by Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyushu University since 1961. The characteristic of the town is that the age, occupational status and nutrient intake of the population are almost identical to those of the general Japanese population. Postmortem examinations of most deceased subjects were performed in Kyushu University Hospital to confirm causes of death and to examine brain pathology. These features have allowed a reliable estimation of the frequency of neurodegenerative diseases relating dementia in a general population and for a detailed analysis of the difference between dementia and non-dementia. Our database based on the Hisayama study would have benefits to examine clinicopathological features of neurodegenerative diseases in a general population.
The prevalence of diabetes is growing at epidemic proportions worldwide, and is becoming a major health problem. Several large longitudinal population-based studies have shown that the rate of cognitive decline is accelerated in elderly people with type 2 diabetes compared with the general population. Similarly, other epidemiologic studies have revealed that diabetes increases the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer disease. Therefore, the effect of diabetes on cognitive function in the elderly has significant public health implications. We examined the association between diabetes-related factors and pathology of Alzheimer disease to evaluate how diabetes affects the pathogenic process of Alzheimer disease. The associations between each diabetes-related factor and Alzheimer disease pathology were examined by analysis of covariance and logistic regression analyses. The results suggest that hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia caused by insulin resistance accelerate neuritic plague formation in combination with the effects of APOE epsilon4.
(2) Prion diseases
Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders, which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. We have performed clinicopathological studies on human prion diseases in a planned and consistent way. Prion diseases are associated with abnormal deposition of prion protein (PrP). The normal, cellular PrP (PrPc) is converted into abnormal PrP (PrPsc) through a process of conformational change where a portion of its alpha-helical and coil structure is refolded into a beta-sheet. Prion diseases are conventionally diagnosed by the detection of accumulation of abnormal PrP using immunohistochemistry or the detection of the abnormal PrP with protease resistance (PrPres). It would be highly recommended that the abnormality of PrP molecules should be determined from various perspectives more than protease resistance. We tested several spin columns to detect PrP oligomers by a simplified method applying gel filtration chromatography without protease treatment, in CJD patients with various degree of neuropathological change, and evaluated the correlation between the disease severity and the degree of PrP polymerization.
Education
(1) Undergraduate education
In the undergraduate teaching curriculum, a further investigation of the education for the diseases of the nervous system was established. To give the outline of the clinical neuroscience and neuropathology to the 3rd year students, I am in charge of the classes of clinical pathology and neuropathology.
(2) Postgraduate education
a. Neuropathology training
b. Clinico-pathological conference
(1) Clinicopathological study on dementia: the Hisayama study
The Hisayama study is a prospective population-based study in a Japanese subrural community, Hisayama Town, which has been carried out by Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyushu University since 1961. The characteristic of the town is that the age, occupational status and nutrient intake of the population are almost identical to those of the general Japanese population. Postmortem examinations of most deceased subjects were performed in Kyushu University Hospital to confirm causes of death and to examine brain pathology. These features have allowed a reliable estimation of the frequency of neurodegenerative diseases relating dementia in a general population and for a detailed analysis of the difference between dementia and non-dementia. Our database based on the Hisayama study would have benefits to examine clinicopathological features of neurodegenerative diseases in a general population.
The prevalence of diabetes is growing at epidemic proportions worldwide, and is becoming a major health problem. Several large longitudinal population-based studies have shown that the rate of cognitive decline is accelerated in elderly people with type 2 diabetes compared with the general population. Similarly, other epidemiologic studies have revealed that diabetes increases the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer disease. Therefore, the effect of diabetes on cognitive function in the elderly has significant public health implications. We examined the association between diabetes-related factors and pathology of Alzheimer disease to evaluate how diabetes affects the pathogenic process of Alzheimer disease. The associations between each diabetes-related factor and Alzheimer disease pathology were examined by analysis of covariance and logistic regression analyses. The results suggest that hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia caused by insulin resistance accelerate neuritic plague formation in combination with the effects of APOE epsilon4.
(2) Prion diseases
Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders, which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. We have performed clinicopathological studies on human prion diseases in a planned and consistent way. Prion diseases are associated with abnormal deposition of prion protein (PrP). The normal, cellular PrP (PrPc) is converted into abnormal PrP (PrPsc) through a process of conformational change where a portion of its alpha-helical and coil structure is refolded into a beta-sheet. Prion diseases are conventionally diagnosed by the detection of accumulation of abnormal PrP using immunohistochemistry or the detection of the abnormal PrP with protease resistance (PrPres). It would be highly recommended that the abnormality of PrP molecules should be determined from various perspectives more than protease resistance. We tested several spin columns to detect PrP oligomers by a simplified method applying gel filtration chromatography without protease treatment, in CJD patients with various degree of neuropathological change, and evaluated the correlation between the disease severity and the degree of PrP polymerization.
Education
(1) Undergraduate education
In the undergraduate teaching curriculum, a further investigation of the education for the diseases of the nervous system was established. To give the outline of the clinical neuroscience and neuropathology to the 3rd year students, I am in charge of the classes of clinical pathology and neuropathology.
(2) Postgraduate education
a. Neuropathology training
b. Clinico-pathological conference
Research
Research Interests
Membership in Academic Society
- Identification of risk factors for the pathological changes of the demented brains through morphometric assessments
keyword : Alzheimer's disease, dementia, tauopathy
2014.04~2019.03Clinicopathological study on dementia (the Hisayama study). - Pathological study on glioma
keyword : brain, glioma, metabolism, pathology
2012.04~2018.03Cell biological study on glioma stem cell. - Clinicopathological study on dementia (the Hisayama study)
keyword : Alzheimer's disease, dementia
2002.04~2014.03Clinicopathological study on dementia (the Hisayama study). - Cell biological study on glioma stem cell
keyword : glioma, cancer stem cell, tumorigenesis
2005.04~2007.03Cell biological study on glioma stem cell . - Clinicopathological study on prion disease
keyword : Prion, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
1989.11Clinicopathological study on prion diseases Development of diagnostic tool for prion diseases. - Developmental study of the central nervous system
keyword : central nervous system, development, glia
2003.01~2011.03Developmental study of the central nervous system. - Study on stress proteins in neurological diseases
keyword : stress protein, alphaB-crystallin, heat shock protein
1997.05~2006.03Study on stress proteins in neurological diseases.
- The Kyushu University COE Program on Lifestyle-Related Diseases
Papers
Presentations
- The Society for Neuroscience
- The Molecular Biology Society of Japan
- The Japanese Society of Neuropathology
- The Japanese Society of Pathology
- The Japan Society of Brain Tumor Pathology
- The International Society of Neuropathology
- Japanese Society of Neuropathology
- Japanese Society of Pathology
- Japan Society of Brain Tumor Pathology
- International Society of Neuropathology
Educational
Educational Activities
1) Postgraduate education
Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
2) Undergraduate education
Medical history (2nd year), Medical School
Pathology (3rd year), Medical School
Neurological Course of Clinical Medicine (3rd year), Medical School
Chairman of Committee of Student Affairs, Medical School (2001)
Member of Committees of Student Affairs and Education, Medical School (2000-2011)
Other Educational Activities
Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
2) Undergraduate education
Medical history (2nd year), Medical School
Pathology (3rd year), Medical School
Neurological Course of Clinical Medicine (3rd year), Medical School
Chairman of Committee of Student Affairs, Medical School (2001)
Member of Committees of Student Affairs and Education, Medical School (2000-2011)
- 2010.04.
Social
Professional and Outreach Activities
The Japanese Society of Neuropathology (Board)
The International Society of Neuropathology(Councilor)
The Japan Society of Brain Tumor Pathology (Board)
The Japanese Society of Pathology(Councilor)
Neuropathology (Editor in Chief, 2012-2017)
Pathology International (Editor)
Brain Tumor Pathology (Editor).
The International Society of Neuropathology(Councilor)
The Japan Society of Brain Tumor Pathology (Board)
The Japanese Society of Pathology(Councilor)
Neuropathology (Editor in Chief, 2012-2017)
Pathology International (Editor)
Brain Tumor Pathology (Editor).


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