Papers
15
Total Citations
241
H-Index
9
About
Kimitaka Nakazawa is a leading researcher in human motor control and neurorehabilitation, whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how sensory feedback shapes spinal and corticospinal excitability during locomotion. His key research areas include the neural mechanisms of walking, reflex modulation, and the development of robotic gait-training technologies. Nakazawa’s most influential contributions—garnering over 200 citations across his top papers—demonstrate how movement-related and load-sensitive afferent inputs modulate cutaneous reflexes and H-reflexes in lower and upper limb muscles. Notably, his 2008 study on load-related modulation of cutaneous reflexes during passive walking (41 citations) and his 2009 work on corticospinal facilitation during robot-assisted stepping (37 citations) have been foundational. He also pioneered the development of an underwater robotic gait-training orthosis (2008, 27 citations), a notable achievement that bridges basic neuroscience with clinical rehabilitation. Through systematic experiments using robotic passive stepping and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, Nakazawa has revealed how passive rhythmic limb movement can suppress hyperactive reflexes—insights with direct implications for treating spasticity after stroke or spinal cord injury. His work continues to inspire researchers and clinicians seeking to restore walking function through technology-driven neurorehabilitation.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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