LIN Staff
Dr. Motoharu Yoshida
Head of Working Group
Functional Architecture of Memory
Leibniz Institute for NeurobiologyBrenneckestr. 6
39118 Magdeburg
Germany
Phone: +49 391 6263 95431
Email: Motoharu.Yoshida@lin-magdeburg.de
ORCID: 0000-0002-0063-9969
- Research interests
Research interests
My general research focus is on the neural computations underlying memory and spatial navigation functions supported by the medial temporal lobe structures, such as the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. Utilizing in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology in mouse models combined with molecular manipulations, my work aims to determine the cellular and network mechanisms underlying these functions and how their failure contributes to cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease. My particular interests include: (1) the molecular mechanisms of intrinsic persistent firing, which transforms neurons into active memory elements; (2) the role of intrinsic persistent firing in working memory and path integration; (3) the molecular and cellular bases of spatial and temporal coding in the medial temporal lobe; and (4) the cellular mechanisms defining the memory encoding, retrieval, and consolidation stages in the hippocampus.
- Curriculum vitae
Curriculum vitae
Dr. Motoharu Yoshida is an academic Group Leader at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) Magdeburg and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). He completed his Ph.D. in Information Technology at the Kyushu Institute of Technology. His career includes postdoctoral fellowships at McGill University and Boston University, followed by a W1 Junior Professor at Ruhr-University Bochum (2010–2016). His academic contributions comprise 40 research publications along with over 40 conference abstracts and presentations. As a dedicated mentor and educator, Dr. Yoshida has successfully supervised 9 completed or ongoing Ph.D. candidates and 8 Master’s degree students. He also designed and taught several university courses on neural networks and brain simulation.
- Publications
Publications
Zomorodi S, Knauer B, Brahimi Y, Reboreda A, Yoshida M, Tiganj Z. 2026. Intrinsic Persistent Firing in CA1 Encodes Elapsed Time Across Behaviorally Relevant Scales. Hippocampus. 36(4):Article e70105. https://doi.org/10.1002/hipo.70105Price AT, Reboreda A, Pakan J, Yoshida M. 2026. Distinct regulation of intrinsic persistent firing by cholinergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic neuromodulations in the mouse auditory cortex. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.03.722484Saber Marouf B, Reboreda A, Theissen F, Kaushik R, Sauvage M, Dityatev A, Yoshida M. 2026. Intrinsic Cellular Persistent Firing Sustains Hippocampal Spatial Representations during Working Memory. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.27.661493Ku S-P, Atucha E, Alavi N, Mulla-Osman H, Kayumova R, Yoshida M, Csicsvari J, Sauvage MM. 2024. Phase locking of hippocampal CA3 neurons to distal CA1 theta oscillations selectively predicts memory performance. Cell Reports. 43(6):Article 114276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114276Ying J, Reboreda A, Yoshida M, Brandon MP. 2023. Grid cell disruption in a mouse model of early Alzheimer's disease reflects reduced integration of self-motion cues. Current Biology. 33(12):2425-2437.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.065Saber Marouf B, Reboreda A, Theissen F, Kaushik R, Sauvage M, Dityatev A, Yoshida M. 2023. TRPC4 Channel Knockdown in the Hippocampal CA1 Region Impairs Modulation of Beta Oscillations in Novel Context. Biology. 12(4):Article 629. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12040629Brahimi Y, Knauer B, Price AT, Valero Aracama MJ, Reboreda A, Sauvage M, Yoshida M. 2023. Persistent Firing in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Cells in Young and Aged Rats. eNeuro. 10(3):Article ENEURO.0479-22.2023. https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0479-22.2023Valero-Aracama MJ, Reboreda A, Arboit A, Sauvage M, Yoshida M. 2021. Noradrenergic suppression of persistent firing in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells through cAMP-PKA pathway. eNeuro. 8(2):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0440-20.2020Arboit A, Reboreda A, Yoshida M. 2020. Involvement of TRPC4 and 5 Channels in Persistent Firing in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Cells. Cells. 9(2):Article 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9020365Knauer B, Yoshida M. 2019. Switching between persistent firing and depolarization block in individual rat CA1 pyramidal neurons. Hippocampus. 29(9):817-835. https://doi.org/10.1002/hipo.23078Reboreda A, Theissen FM, Valero-Aracama MJ, Arboit A, Corbu MA, Yoshida M. 2018. Do TRPC channels support working memory? Comparing modulations of TRPC channels and working memory through G-protein coupled receptors and neuromodulators. Behavioural Brain Research. 354:64 - 83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.02.042Flasbeck V, Atucha E, Nakamura NH, Yoshida M, Sauvage MM. 2018. Spatial information is preferentially processed by the distal part of CA3: implication for memory retrieval. Behavioural Brain Research. 347:116-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.07.023Ku SP, Nakamura NH, Maingret N, Mahnke L, Yoshida M, Sauvage MM. 2017. Regional specific evidence for memory-load dependent activity in the dorsal subiculum and the lateral entorhinal cortex. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. 11:Article 51. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2017.00051Cutsuridis V, Yoshida M. 2017. Editorial: Memory processes in medial temporal lobe: Experimental, theoretical and computational approaches. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. 11:Article 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2017.00019Giovannini F, Knauer B, Yoshida M, Buhry L. 2017. The CAN-In network: A biologically inspired model for self-sustained theta oscillations and memory maintenance in the hippocampus. Hippocampus. 27(4):450-463. https://doi.org/10.1002/hipo.22704Yoshida M. 2016. Mechanisms and Roles of Intrinsic Persistent Firing in the Hippocampus. Seibutsu Butsuri. 56(5):262-265. https://doi.org/10.2142/biophys.56.262Saravanan V, Arabali D, Jochems A, Cui AX, Gootjes-Dreesbach L, Cutsuridis V, Yoshida M. 2015. Transition between encoding and consolidation/replay dynamics via cholinergic modulation of CAN current: A modeling study. Hippocampus. 25(9):1052-1070. https://doi.org/10.1002/hipo.22429Jochems A, Yoshida M. 2015. A robust in vivo-like persistent firing supported by a hybrid of intracellular and synaptic mechanisms. PLOS ONE. 10(4):Article e0123799. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123799 - Third party funds
Third party funds
2022 - 2026 (DFG)
Zelluläre Mechanismen des Kurzzeitgedächtnisses in der hippocampalen CA1-Region2019 - 2022 (DFG)
Die Rolle der TRPC-Kanäle bei der Pfadintegration und dem Feuern von Gitterzellen im medialen entorhinalen Cortex2019 - 2021 (LSA)
Dopaminergic modulation of working memory-related persistent neuronal activity in auditory cortex: from molecules to behavior2019 - 2019 (DFG)
Die Funktion der TRPC-Kanäle bei der Kodierung von Zeit und Raum im entorhinalen-hippocampalen Kreislauf