Izumi Fukunaga
@ifukunaga.bsky.social
Neuroscientist with interests in olfaction, circuits, neurophysiology of behavior, and more. Associate professor at OIST.
Profile: https://www.oist.jp/research/research-units/sbn/izumi-fukunaga
Lab: https://www.oist.jp/research/research-units/sbn
Profile: https://www.oist.jp/research/research-units/sbn/izumi-fukunaga
Lab: https://www.oist.jp/research/research-units/sbn
LFP may be small in amplitude, but intracellularly, membrane potential fluctuations associated with network oscillations can be big, eg, about 10 mV in the olfactory bulb. I interpreted the hypothesis to include the effect such ongoing synaptic fluctuations have on “other, meaningful” inputs.
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 AM
LFP may be small in amplitude, but intracellularly, membrane potential fluctuations associated with network oscillations can be big, eg, about 10 mV in the olfactory bulb. I interpreted the hypothesis to include the effect such ongoing synaptic fluctuations have on “other, meaningful” inputs.
Reposted by Izumi Fukunaga
We watched mice follow scent trails drawn on an “endless” treadmill. By manipulating trail geometry/statistics, perturbing mouse nose & brain, and modeling behavior with a Bayesian framework, we show that mice use predictive (rather than reactive) strategies.
September 1, 2025 at 7:07 PM
We watched mice follow scent trails drawn on an “endless” treadmill. By manipulating trail geometry/statistics, perturbing mouse nose & brain, and modeling behavior with a Bayesian framework, we show that mice use predictive (rather than reactive) strategies.
We don’t yet understand how our findings translate to human behavior and cognition, but hopefully they offer clues to our origins.
Grateful for the opportunity to take part in this fascinating collaborative work and to @oistedu.bsky.social for all the support.
Grateful for the opportunity to take part in this fascinating collaborative work and to @oistedu.bsky.social for all the support.
August 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
We don’t yet understand how our findings translate to human behavior and cognition, but hopefully they offer clues to our origins.
Grateful for the opportunity to take part in this fascinating collaborative work and to @oistedu.bsky.social for all the support.
Grateful for the opportunity to take part in this fascinating collaborative work and to @oistedu.bsky.social for all the support.
What’s more, another mutation in the non coding region - also positively selected - reduces the ADSL expression in humans. So, reduction in the ADSL activity seems overall beneficial.
August 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
What’s more, another mutation in the non coding region - also positively selected - reduces the ADSL expression in humans. So, reduction in the ADSL activity seems overall beneficial.
Turns out this mutation reduces the stability of the enzyme.
When the “humanised” ADSL was introduced into the mouse, the enzyme substrates increased particularly in the brain, and female mice became adept at accessing a scarce resource (in this case, water in the cage).
When the “humanised” ADSL was introduced into the mouse, the enzyme substrates increased particularly in the brain, and female mice became adept at accessing a scarce resource (in this case, water in the cage).
August 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Turns out this mutation reduces the stability of the enzyme.
When the “humanised” ADSL was introduced into the mouse, the enzyme substrates increased particularly in the brain, and female mice became adept at accessing a scarce resource (in this case, water in the cage).
When the “humanised” ADSL was introduced into the mouse, the enzyme substrates increased particularly in the brain, and female mice became adept at accessing a scarce resource (in this case, water in the cage).
ADSL is an enzyme crucial for purine biosynthesis.
As the modern human lineage split from those of Neanderthals and Denisovans, a single amino acid mutation in this enzyme became fixed.
As the modern human lineage split from those of Neanderthals and Denisovans, a single amino acid mutation in this enzyme became fixed.
August 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
ADSL is an enzyme crucial for purine biosynthesis.
As the modern human lineage split from those of Neanderthals and Denisovans, a single amino acid mutation in this enzyme became fixed.
As the modern human lineage split from those of Neanderthals and Denisovans, a single amino acid mutation in this enzyme became fixed.
Thank you Andreas and also for your very helpful feedback!
June 13, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Thank you Andreas and also for your very helpful feedback!
P.s., some colleagues in the field consider this study controversial :) We have tried our best to respond to the comments in the limited time we had. We would very much like to hear if others get a different result. An open discourse like that might help move the field forward.
June 13, 2025 at 12:53 PM
P.s., some colleagues in the field consider this study controversial :) We have tried our best to respond to the comments in the limited time we had. We would very much like to hear if others get a different result. An open discourse like that might help move the field forward.
Of course, we have not exhausted all possible ways of activating the olfactory bulb output. The encoding format may well depend on the downstream regions involved. There’s plenty more to do!
Congratulations to Xiaochen Fu and all authors!
Congratulations to Xiaochen Fu and all authors!
June 13, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Of course, we have not exhausted all possible ways of activating the olfactory bulb output. The encoding format may well depend on the downstream regions involved. There’s plenty more to do!
Congratulations to Xiaochen Fu and all authors!
Congratulations to Xiaochen Fu and all authors!
What does this mean?
Sniff rhythms may not provide clock-like reference signals in downstream areas.
Rather, with progressive stages of olfactory processing, the system may rely more on firing rates and synchrony, with the sniff rhythm serving a more nuanced, modulatory role.
Sniff rhythms may not provide clock-like reference signals in downstream areas.
Rather, with progressive stages of olfactory processing, the system may rely more on firing rates and synchrony, with the sniff rhythm serving a more nuanced, modulatory role.
June 13, 2025 at 3:55 AM
What does this mean?
Sniff rhythms may not provide clock-like reference signals in downstream areas.
Rather, with progressive stages of olfactory processing, the system may rely more on firing rates and synchrony, with the sniff rhythm serving a more nuanced, modulatory role.
Sniff rhythms may not provide clock-like reference signals in downstream areas.
Rather, with progressive stages of olfactory processing, the system may rely more on firing rates and synchrony, with the sniff rhythm serving a more nuanced, modulatory role.