My History in Juntendo University

Abstract

With my retirement as a professor, I would like to review my 47-year history of studying and working at Juntendo University. I was admitted to Juntendo University School of Medicine in 1976, and after graduation I joined the Department of Neurology in 1982, where Professor Hirotaro Narabayashi was the founding chairman. I became particularly interested in movement disorders and neurophysiology. The second chairman, Professor Yoshikuni Mizuno, established an American-style neurology training system. From 1992 to 1994, I studied electrophysiology at the University of Calgary in Canada, and my family and I enjoyed life in Canada very much. In 2000, I moved to Juntendo Izu-Nagaoka Hospital, now renamed Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital. I instructed young neurologists to write case reports in English. Owing to this achievement, the third chairman, Professor Nobutaka Hattori, recommended me to be a recipient of Alumni Scientific Award and to become a professor of neurology in 2009. I also became an executive officer of the Asian and Oceanian Section of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society from 2015 to 2019. In 2017, I was appointed as the dean of the Faculty of Health Science and Nursing. I devoted myself to improving the nursing education and then I received the Best Professor Award twice. The level of the faculty improved, so that all the students were able to pass the National Nursing Examination consistently. In conclusion, I thank all my colleagues, faculty members, and family for letting me have valuable experiences and memories in Juntendo University.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; education; faculty development; neurologist; neurophysiology.

Figure 1

A. Case conference in the Department of Neurology in 1986 From left to right, Associate Professor Takeshi Sato, Professor Hirotaro Narabayashi, Lecturer Hisamasa Imai, Dr. Akito Hayashi, and me B. Professor Narabayashi performing stereotaxic brain surgery at his private clinic

Figure 2

Professor Reisaku Tanaka (left) and Professor Hirotaro Narabayashi (right)

Figure 3

A. Professor Yoshikuni Mizuno B. Conference held every morning

Figure 4

Professor Robert G. Lee and me in his office at the University of Calgary during Christmas season

Figure 5

A. Experimental setting to record H-reflex: the posterior tibial nerve is stimulated and H-reflexes are recorded from the soleus muscle. B. Upper wave: the test H-reflex Lower wave: peroneal nerve conditioned H-reflex is slightly depressed. The decrement indicates reciprocal Ia inhibition from ankle flexors to extensors. C. Amount of reciprocal Ia inhibition in the legs with good recovery or poor recovery

Figure 6

A. Skiing at Lake Louise resort in Canadian Rockies with my wife B. Hiking in the Canadian Rockies with my family

Figure 7

Certificate for Alumni Scientific Award received in 2008

Figure 8

Professor Nobutaka Hattori (center) and associates at the Department of Neurology Alumni Association party in 2008. From left to right, Professor Hisamasa Imai, Professor Masanori Nagaoka, Professor Nobutaka Hattori, the author (Yasuyuki Okuma), and Professor Shigeki Tanaka

Figure 9

A. 3D accelerometer B. Acceleration recordings during walking and turning in a patient with advanced-stage Parkinson's disease. Red circles show the step rhythm. During turning, high-frequency oscillations corresponding to the freezing of gait were observed.

Figure 10

Results of prospective study of falls in Parkinson's disease A. Number of patients for each faller category. Slightly more than half patients (19 patients) are categorized as On-faller. For the Transition-state fallers and Off-fallers, the main cause of falls was freezing of gait. B. Number of falls for each fall category. Only three falls were attributed to severe dyskinesia. The tendency was as the same as Figure 10-A.

Figure 11

A. Officers of the Asian and Oceanian Section of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS-AOS) from 2015 to 2017. I served as Treasurer-Elect. Note that Professor Hattori was the Chairman of MDS-AOS. B. Officers of MDS-AOS from 2017 to 2019. I served as Treasurer.

Figure 12

A. Best Professor Prize awarded by CEO Hideoki Ogawa in the thank-you party after the graduation ceremony in March 2018. B. Best Professor Prize in March 2021.

Figure 13

Executive officers of Juntendo University A. CEO, Hideoki Ogawa B. President, Hajime Arai C. Executive Advisor to the President, Eiki Kominami

Figure 14

Cheering near the goal of Hakone Ekiden on Jan 2, 2023 at lakeside Ashinoko. The author is the third one from the left in the brass band team