REI YOKOYAMA

Last Updated :2025/06/11

Affiliations, Positions
Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences(Dentistry & Oral Health Sciences), Assistant Professor (Special Appointment)
Web Site
https://researchmap.jp/rei-yokoyama
E-mail
reiyokoyamahiroshima-u.ac.jp
Self-introduction
My research focuses on the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms underlying development and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Basic Information

Major Professional Backgrounds

  • 2022/04, 2024/03, Osaka University, Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC2), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Educational Backgrounds

  • Osaka University, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Advanced Pharmaco-science, Doctor's Degree Program, 2021/04, 2024/03
  • Osaka University, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Advanced Pharmaco-science, Master's Degree Program, 2019/04, 2021/03
  • University of Toyama, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015/04, 2019/03

Academic Degrees

  • Osaka University

Research Fields

  • Biological Sciences;Neuroscience;Neurochemistry / Neuropharmacology
  • Medicine,dentistry, and pharmacy;Basic medicine;General pharmacology
  • Medicine,dentistry, and pharmacy;Pharmacy;Pharmacology in pharmacy

Affiliated Academic Societies

  • The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology
  • Society for Neuroscience
  • The Japanese Society for Neurochemistry
  • The Japanese Pharmacological Society
  • The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Educational Activity

Course in Charge

  1. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 3Term, Dental Pharmacology I
  2. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 4Term, Dental Pharmacology II
  3. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 1Term, Practice of Pharmacology
  4. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Dental Research Practices I
  5. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Dental Research Practices II
  6. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Dental Research Practices III
  7. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Dental Research Practices IV
  8. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Pharmacology and Dental Pharmacology
  9. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Practice on Basic Dental Sciences
  10. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 2Term, Pharmacology and Dental Pharmacology

Research Activities

Academic Papers

  1. ★, (R)-ketamine restores anterior insular cortex activity and cognitive deficits in social isolation-reared mice., Molecular Psychiatry, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  2. ★, Long-lasting anti-despair and anti-anhedonia effects of (S)-norketamine in social isolation-reared mice., Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  3. ★, (S)-norketamine and (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine exert potent antidepressant-like effects in a chronic corticosterone-induced mouse model of depression., Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 2020
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  4. Brain region–specific neural activation by low-dose opioid promotes social behavior, JCI Insight, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  5. Dimerisation of the VIP receptor VIPR2 is essential to its binding VIP and Gi proteins, and to its functions in breast cancer cells, British Journal of Pharmacology, 2025
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  6. Cyclic Peptides KS-133 and KS-487 Multifunctionalized Nanoparticles Enable Efficient Brain Targeting for Treating Schizophrenia, JACS Au, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  7. Claustrum mediates bidirectional and reversible control of stress-induced anxiety responses., Science Advances, 2022
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  8. Structure-activity relationship and mechanistic study on guggulsterone derivatives; Discovery of new anti-pancreatic cancer candidate., Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2022
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  9. Altered Functional Connectivity of the Orbital Cortex and Striatum Associated with Catalepsy Induced by Dopamine D1 and D2 Antagonists., Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2021
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  10. Synthesis of guggulsterone derivatives as potential anti-austerity agents against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells., Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2020
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  11. (R)-Ketamine Induces a Greater Increase in Prefrontal 5-HT Release Than (S)-Ketamine and Ketamine Metabolites via an AMPA Receptor-Independent Mechanism., The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2019
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  12. Roles of the monoaminergic system in the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its metabolites., Neuropharmacology, 2023
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI

Invited Lecture, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation

  1. Elucidation of the mechanism of breast cancer aggravation by dimeric VIPR2, Satoshi Asano, Kairi Ozasa, Teru Uehara, Rei Yokoyama, Takanobu Nakazawa, Souichi Yanamoto, Yukio Ago, The 147th Kinki Regional Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2025/06, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Aichi
  2. Therapeutic potential of brain-penetrating nanoparticles containing a selective VIP receptor 2 (VIPR2) antagonist peptide for schizophrenia, Yukio Ago, Rei Yokoyama, Satoshi Asano, Daisuke Sugiyama, Shinsaku Nakagawa, Takatsugu Hirokawa, Eijiro Miyako, Kotaro Sakamoto, CINP-AsCNP2025, 2025/06, Without Invitation, English, The International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, melbourne
  3. Chemogenetic inhibition of microglia attenuates mechanical allodynia induced by prenatal exposure to histone deacetylase inhibitor, Chiaki Tsuru, Eiji Imado, Daisuke Uta, Song Vyryka, Hina Kurata, Takeru Tahara, Vo Nguyen, Rei Yokoyama, Satoshi Asano, Yaichiro Kotake, Norikazu Kiguchi, Toshiaki Kume, Hiroshi Hanamoto, Kotaro Tanimoto, Yukio Ago, APPW2025, 2025/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, The Physiological Society of Japan, The Japanese Association of Anatomists, Chiba
  4. Low dose opioid without analgesic effects improves social deficits in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder, Yukio Ago, Megumi Naito, Soichiro Ohnami, Haruki Kawase, Momoko Higuchi, Keiko Takasu, Takeru Tahara, Rei Yokoyama, Satoshi Asano, Koichi Ogawa, Atsushi Nakamura, Hidekuni Yamakawa, Yaichiro Kotake, Kazuhiro Takuma, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 145th Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2025/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Fukuoka
  5. Brain cholinergic system and ghrelin signaling are involved in improving cognitive deficits with butyrylcholinesterase inhibition, Yokoyama Rei, Shinji Tsukada, Kosuke Higashino, Nigel H. Greig, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Yukio Ago, The 145th Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2025/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Fukuoka
  6. Development of a brain-targeting formulation of the VIPR2 inhibitory peptide KS-133 for the recovery of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia model mice, Kotaro Sakamoto, Takatsugu Hirokawa, Zihao Jin, Rei Yokoyama, Shinsaku Nakagawa, Yukio Ago, Eijiro Miyako, The 145th Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2025/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Fukuoka
  7. (R)-ketamine improves depressive-like behaviors and social cognitive deficits by restoring neural activity of the anterior insular cortex in social isolation-induced model of depression, Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Hisato Igarashi, Momoko Higuchi, Masato Tanuma, Yuto Shimazaki, Kaoru Seiriki, Misuzu Hayashida, Shun Yamaguchi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, NEURO2024, 2024/07, Without Invitation, Japanese, the Japan Neuroscience Society, the Japanese Society for Neurochemistry, the Japanese society of Biological Psychiatry, Fukuoka
  8. (R)-ketamine ameliorates depressive-like behaviors and cognitive dysfunctions in isolation-reared mice via activation of the anterior insular cortex, Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Hisato Igarashi, Momoko Higuchi, Masato Tanuma, Yuto Shimazaki, Kaoru Seiriki, Misuzu Hayashida, Shun Yamaguchi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 145th Kinki Regional Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2024/07, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Hiroshima
  9. Activation of the claustrum ensemble increases anxiety levels following stress exposure., Masato Tanuma, Yoshihisa Yokoyama, Keita Miyaji, Jin Ohkubo, Rei Yokoyama, Hiroki Ueno, Kaoru Seiriki, Hiroshi Nomura, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, Neuroscience2023, 2023/11, Without Invitation, Japanese, Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
  10. Neural mechanisms of the effects of (R)-ketamine in a mouse model of depression induced by social isolation, Rei Yokoyama, Masato Tanuma, Misuzu Hayashida, Atsushi Kasai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Yukio Ago, The 57th meeting of the Hiroshima University Dental Society, 2024/06, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Hiroshima University Dental Society, Hiroshima
  11. Identification of brain activity associated with the recovery of abnormal social behaviour in a mouse model of developmental disorder induced by antiepileptic drugs., Hiroki Ueno, Atsushi Kasai, Yusuke Iyanaga, Yudai Hara, Daiki Miura, Masato Tanuma, Rei Yokoyama, Jin Okubo, Yuka Nakai, Kaoru Seiriki, Shun Yamaguchi, Yukio Ago, Takanobu Nakazawa, KazuhiroTakuma, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 142nd Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2022/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Nagoya
  12. (R)-ketamine ameliorates depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment via activation of the anterior insular cortex in social isolation-reared mice, Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Hisato Igarashi, Momoko Higuchi, Masato Tanuma, Yuto Shimazaki, Kaoru Seiriki, Misuzu Hayashida, Shun Yamaguchi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, CINP2024, 2024/05, Without Invitation, English, The International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Tokyo
  13. (R)-ketamine enhances anterior insular cortex activity associated with social cognition., Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Masato Tanuma, Yuto Shimazaki, Kaoru Seiriki, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Neuroscience2023, 2023/11, Without Invitation, English, Sociaty for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
  14. Functional neural networks in the brain during cocaine-conditioned place preference testing., Yuto Shimazaki, Rei Yokoyama, Hiroki Ueno, Jin Okubo, Yuka Nakai, Yokoyama Yassihisa, Tetsufumi Murashige, Katsuyuki Konita, Junichiro Yoshimoto, Kaoru Seiriki, Taku Nagai, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Atsushi Kasai, The 143rd Kinki Regional Meeting of of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2023/06, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Nagoya
  15. Involvement of the agranular insular cortex in antidepressant actions of arketamine., Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Atsushi Kasai, Masato Tanuma, Misuzu Hayashida, Yuto Shimasaki, Momoko Higuchi, Hisato Igarashi, Kaoru Seiriki, Shun Yamaguchi, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 96th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2022/12, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Yokohama
  16. Activation of the Rostral Agranular Insular Cortex is Involved in the Antidepressant Actions of Arketamine., Yukio Ago, Rei Yokoyama, Atsushi Kasai, Masato Tanuma, Misuzu Hayashida, Yuto Shimazaki, Momoko Higuchi, Hisato Igarashi, Kaoru Seiriki, Shun Yamaguchi, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Hashimoto, ACNP 61st Annual Meeting, 2022/12, Without Invitation, English, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Arizona
  17. The agranular insular cortex mediates the antidepressant actions of arketamine., Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Atsushi Kasai, Masato Tanuma, Misuzu Hayashida, Yuto Shimazaki, Momoko Higuchi, Hisato Igarashi, Kaoru Seiriki, Shun Yamaguchi, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Neuroscience2022, 2022/11, Without Invitation, English, Sociaty for Neuroscience, San Diego
  18. Claustral neural circuits involved in the control of stress-induced anxiety responses., Atsushi Kasai, Masato Tanuma, Misaki Niu, Hiroki Ueno, Jin Ohkubo, Rei Yokoyama, Kaoru Seiriki, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Neuroscience2022, 2022/11, Without Invitation, English, Sociaty for Neuroscience, San Diego
  19. Reduced prefrontal hub function in brain networks associated with social deficits of an ASD model mouse, Atsushi Kasai, Yusuke Iyanaga, Hiroki Ueno, Yuka Nakai, Yuta Hara, Hiroki Miura, Masato Tanuma, Misuzu Hayashida, Rei Yokoyama, Jin Ohkubo, Kaoru Seiriki, Atsuko Hayata-Takano, Shun Yamaguchi, Shiho Kitaoka, Tomoyuki Furuyashiki, Yukio Ago, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kazuhiro Takuma, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 95th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2022/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, the Japanese Pharmacological Society, Fukuoka
  20. Synthesis of alpha-methylenecyclopentanone derivatives and evaluation of their NFkB inhibitory activity, Aki Kohyama, Aya Shiuchi, Rei Yokoyama, Yue Zhou,Hiroaki Sakurai, Yuji Matsuya, The 133rd Hokuriku Branch meeting of The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2021/11, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Kanazawa
  21. Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Selective Antitumor-Active Steroid Analogues for Undernourished Pancreatic Cancer, Aki Kohyama, Rei Yokoyama, Suresh Awale, Yuji Matsuya, Drug Discovery Conference 2021 in Kyoto, 2021/06, Without Invitation, Japanese, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Online
  22. Synthesis of alpha-methylenecyclopentanones for the development of NFkB inhibitors, Aya Shiuchi, Aki Kohyama, Rei Yokoyama, Yue Zhoui, Hiroaki Sakurai, Yuji Matsuya, The 141st Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2021/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Hiroshima
  23. Differential effects of ketamine metabolites on depression-like behaviors induced by chronic corticosterone injection in mice, Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Momoko Higuchi, Wataru Tanabe, Shinji Tsukada, Atsushi Kasai, Kaoru Seiki, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 93rd Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2020/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Online
  24. Differential effects of ketamine metabolites on depression-like behaviors induced by chronic corticosterone injection in mice, Rei Yokoyama, Yukio Ago, Momoko Higuchi, Wataru Tanabe, Shinji Tsukada, Atsushi Kasai, Kaoru Seiki, Takanobu Nakazawa, Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Hashimoto, The 93rd Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society, 2020/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, Online
  25. Synthesis of Derivatives of Guggulsterone, a Steroidal Natural Product, and Evaluation of Their Pharmacological Activity for Discovery of Anticancer Drug Seeds, Aki Kohyama, Rei Yokoyama, Aya Shiuchi, Yue Zhou, Hiroaki Sakurai, Suresh Awale, Meselhy R. M. Zayed, Yuji Matuya, The 45th Symposium on Advances in Reaction and Synthesis, 2019/10, Without Invitation, Japanese, Division of Organic Chemistry, The Pharmaceutical Society, Okayama
  26. Synthesis of Guggulsterone Derivatives and Evaluation of NFkB Inhibitory Activity, Aya Shiuchi, Aki Kohyama, Rei Yokoyama, Yue Zhou, Hiroaki Sakurai, Ragab MESELHY Zayed MESELHY, Yuji Matsuya, Senminar 2019 on Synthetic Organic Chemistry in Hokuriku Area, 2019/09, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan, Kanazawa
  27. Synthesis of derivatives of plant steroid guggulsterone and evaluation of NFkB inhibitory activity, Rei Yokoyama, Aki Kohyama, Yue Zhou, Hiroaki Sakurai, Ragab Meselhy Zayed MESELHY, Yuji Matsuya, The 139th Annual Meeting the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2019/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Chiba
  28. Butyrylcholinesterase inhibition ameliorates cognitive impairment in social isolation-reared mice through activation of both muscarinic acetylcholine and ghrelin receptors, Rei Yokoyama, Shinji Tsukada, Kosuke Higashino,Nigel H. Greig,Hitoshi Hashimoto, Yukio Ago, APPW2025, 2025/03, Without Invitation, Japanese, The Japanese Pharmacological Society, The Physiological Society of Japan, The Japanese Association of Anatomists, Chiba
  29. Therapeutic potential of low-dose opioids through brain region-specific neural activation for autism spectrum disorder, Rei Yokoyama, Megumi Naito, Soichiro Ohnami, Haruki Kawase, Momoko Higuchi, Keiko Takasu, Takeru Tahara, Satoshi Asano, Koichi Ogawa, Atsushi Nakamura, Hidekuni Yamakawa, Yaichiro Kotake, Kazuhiro Takuma, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Yukio Ago, CINP-AsCNP2025, 2025/06, Without Invitation, English, The International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, melbourne

Awards

  1. 2024/05/26, JSNP Excellent Presentation Award for CINP 2024 (May24-26), The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacolog, (R)-ketamine ameliorates depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment via activation of the anterior insular cortex in social isolation-reared mice

External Funds

Acceptance Results of Competitive Funds

  1. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, EarlyCareer Scientists, Study of neural mechanisms of regulation of positive and negative emotions in the formation and treatment of depression, 2025/04, 2028/03
  2. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Research Activity Start-up, Study of Neural Mechanisms of Differential Antidepressant Responsiveness Based on Characteristics of Social Behaviors, 2024/07, 2026/03
  3. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, JSPS Doctoral Course Research Fellowships, Study of Neural Mechanisms of Rapid Antidepressant Effects and Their Therapeutic Applications, 2022/04, 2024/03