Amy Arai

Amy Arai is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Contact: aarai@siumed.edu, Phone: 217.545.0228. Her research focuses on neuropharmacology, particularly the role of AMPA-type glutamate receptors in long-term potentiation (LTP), a mechanism linked to memory encoding.

• B.S. in Chemistry & Biology from Chiba University, Japan
• M.S. in Pharmacology from Chiba University, Japan
• Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Chiba University, Japan

Arai's work explores how AMPA receptor kinetics influence synaptic transmission, plasticity, and neuronal network processing. Her team investigates kisspeptin (metastin) and GPR54, as well as Prolactin-Releasing Peptide (PrRP), to understand their roles in hippocampal, amygdalar, and thalamic physiology. This research has led to the development of ampakines, drugs targeting cognitive disorders like ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia in clinical trials.

Her publications span topics including AMPA receptor modulation, synaptic plasticity, and neuropeptide signaling. While no scientific awards are listed in the provided text, her contributions to neuropharmacology are evident through her extensive research, drug development efforts, and collaborations in understanding synaptic mechanisms and their therapeutic applications.