I graduated from Kyoto University School of Medicine in 2002 and became a psychiatrist, and have been involved in patient care at several hospitals and clinics including Kyoto University Hospital, National Center of Psychiatry and Neurology (NCNP) Hospital, and Kusakabe Memorial Hospital. In August 2003, I became a research student of the Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP (Director Hiroshi Kunugi), and began psychological and biological research aimed at elucidating the etiology of mental disorders and developing their biomarkers. From then I was a member of the Department for about 10 years, including when I was a graduate school student and postdoc. During these years I learned research methods in neuropsychology, personality theory, neuroendocrinology, neurophysiology, and genetics, and used them to investigate etiology and pathology of mental disorders.
In June 2014, I became a section chief of the Department of Behavioral Medicine (Director Yoshiharu Kim), where I currently belong, and launched research into the etiology and pathophysiology of trauma and PTSD, and have been conducting this project together with colleagues (including other section chiefs, postdoc fellows, and graduate school students) and collaborative researchers at the Department of Mental Disorder Research, other institutes, and universities. This project includes detailed psychological/clinical evaluation, cognitive assessments, measurement of stress hormones and inflammatory proteins in blood samples, peripheral blood DNA and RNA analysis, brain MRI images, and 24-hour measurement of activity and autonomic nervous system using biosensors. By integratively examining these multilayered findings, we aim to elucidate the pathology of PTSD and develop biomarkers. To date, we have investigated the characteristics of cognition, inflammation, and stress hormone system, along with their underlying genetic factors, associated with PTSD and adverse childhood experiences.
Since April 2024, as the director of the Department of Behavioral Medicine, I have been working with members from diverse backgrounds and specialties to investigate stress-related mental disorders through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates psychosocial science with medical science including psychiatry. Our research project is aimed at elucidating the nature of these disorders, developing their new treatments, and maintaining and promoting health. At the same time, by disseminating correct understanding of diseases and treatment methods through several training programs, we aim to translate our research results into better treatment and support for patients, thereby contributing to our society.

2017 JSBP and HKSBP Academic Exchange Program Award
2012 The 7th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Schizophrenia Research, Poster Presentation Award
2012 3rd Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Conference, Travel Award
2012 JSNP Excellent Presentation Award for CINP 2012 Stockholm
2012 JSBP and TSBPN Academic Exchange Program Award
2011 The Kato Memorial Bioscience Grant for International Research Fellowship
2011 The 6th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Schizophrenia Research, Poster Presentation Award
2010 2nd Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Conference Travel Award

Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology, Board Certified Fellow and Trainer
Japanese Society of Biological Psychiatry, Councilor
Japanese Society of Mood Disorders
Japanese Society of Schizophrenia Research
Japanese Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry

Frontiers in Psychiatry: Review Editor

【Key publications from our trauma/PTSD research project （*：corresponding author）】
（For my detailed publication list, please see the PDF file attached below）

Hori H*, Fukushima H, Nagayoshi T, Ishikawa R, Zhuo M, Yoshida F, Kunugi H, Okamoto K, Kim Y*, Kida S*. Fear memory regulation by the cAMP signaling pathway as an index of reexperiencing symptoms in posttraumatic stress disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2024 Online ahead of print.

Kawanishi H*, Hori H*, Yoshida F, Itoh M, Lin M, Niwa M, Narita M, Otsuka T, Ino K, Imai R, Fukudo S, Kamo T, Kunugi H, Kim Y. Suicidality in civilian women with PTSD: Possible link to childhood maltreatment, proinflammatory molecules, and their genetic variations. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2023; 30: 100650.

Hakamata Y, Suzuki Y, Kobashikawa H, Hori H*. Neurobiology of early life adversity: A systematic review of meta-analyses towards an integrative account of its neurobiological trajectories to mental disorders. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2022; 65: 100994.

Hori H*, Izawa S, Yoshida F, Kunugi H, Kim Y, Mizukami S, Inoue Y, Tagaya H, Hakamata Y*. Association of childhood maltreatment history with salivary interleukin-6 diurnal patterns and C-reactive protein in healthy adults. Brain Behav Immun. 2022; 101: 377-382.

Hori H*, Itoh M, Lin M, Yoshida F, Niwa M, Hakamata Y, Matsui M, Kunugi H, Kim Y. Childhood maltreatment history and attention bias variability in healthy adult women: role of inflammation and the BDNF Val66Met genotype. Transl Psychiatry. 2021; 11: 122.

Hori H, Itoh M, Matsui M, Kamo T, Saito T, Nishimatsu Y, Kito S, Kida S, Kim Y*. The efficacy of memantine in the treatment of civilian posttraumatic stress disorder: an open-label trial. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2021; 12: 1859821.

Otsuka T, Hori H*, Yoshida F, Itoh M, Lin M, Niwa M, Ino K, Imai R, Ogawa S, Matsui M, Kamo T, Kunugi H, Kim Y. Association of CRP genetic variation with symptomatology, cognitive function, and circulating proinflammatory markers in civilian women with PTSD. J Affect Disord. 2021; 279: 640-649.

Hori H*, Yoshida F, Itoh M, Lin M, Niwa M, Ino K, Imai R, Ogawa S, Matsui M, Kamo T, Kunugi H, Kim Y. Proinflammatory status-stratified blood transcriptome profiling of civilian women with PTSD. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020; 111: 104491.

Hori H*, Kim Y. Inflammation and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2019; 73: 143-153.

Itoh M*, Hori H*, Lin M, Niwa M, Ino K, Imai R, Ogawa S, Matsui M, Kamo T, Kim Y. Memory bias and its association with memory function in women with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Affect Disord. 2019; 245: 461-467.

Imai R, Hori H*, Itoh M, Lin M, Niwa M, Ino K, Ogawa S, Ishida M, Sekiguchi A, Matsui M, Kunugi H, Akechi T, Kamo T, Kim Y. Inflammatory markers and their possible effects on cognitive function in women with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2018; 102: 192-200.

Narita-Ohtaki R, Hori H*, Itoh M, Lin M, Niwa M, Ino K, Imai R, Ogawa S, Sekiguchi A, Matsui M, Kunugi H, Kamo T, Kim Y. Cognitive function in Japanese women with posttraumatic stress disorder: Association with exercise habits. J Affect Disord. 2018; 236: 306-312.