Nao Okabe
@nao-neuro.bsky.social
30 followers 32 following 7 posts
Neuroscientist @UCLA, brain repair, motor learning, 2 photon microscope, EEG
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
nao-neuro.bsky.social
Thank you! Happy to hear that!
nao-neuro.bsky.social
(6/6)
A huge thank you to my co-authors, especially my PI, Tom Carmichael, for his incredible support.
Proud to represent
@UCLANeurology
in this work! Thanks to all the lab members, friends, and family who made this possible.
nao-neuro.bsky.social
(5/6)
This study reveals the complex and heterogeneous circuit changes underlying stroke recovery. It also highlights the therapeutic potential of interneuron circuits as a target for recovery interventions.
nao-neuro.bsky.social
(4/6)
Rehabilitative training recovers PV synapses, functional connectivity, and gamma power.

Using chemogenetics, we found that activating PV interneurons is essential for recovery. Remarkably, pharmacological PV activation mimics rehab benefits.
nao-neuro.bsky.social
(3/6)
We identified neurons projecting to the stroke site (Stroke-projecting neurons) lose key synaptic inputs, including those from PV interneurons.

This loss disrupts functional connectivity, leading to decreased gamma power and impaired motor function.
nao-neuro.bsky.social
(2/6)
Stroke recovery depends on plasticity.
Rehabilitation harnesses experience-dependent plasticity, but how specific neuronal circuits drive recovery has remained unclear—until now.

We identified key inhibitory circuits shaping rehabilitation-induced recovery.