Hikaru Sugimoto
Papers
7
Total Citations
97
H-Index
6
About
Hikaru Sugimoto is a cognitive aging researcher whose work centers on innovative social and conversational interventions designed to preserve and enhance cognitive function in older adults. He is best known as the primary architect of the Photo-Integrated Conversation Moderated by Robots (PICMOR) program, a groundbreaking approach that harnesses group conversation, personal photographs, and robotic facilitation to combat age-related cognitive decline and potentially delay dementia onset. Across multiple randomized controlled trials, Sugimoto has rigorously demonstrated PICMOR's cognitive benefits, with his 2021 RCT alone accumulating 45 citations and establishing the program as a credible, evidence-based intervention. His research extends well beyond behavioral outcomes: through neuroimaging studies employing resting-state functional connectivity, voxel-based morphometry, and diffusion tensor imaging, he has illuminated the underlying neural mechanisms driving intervention-related gains, including structural and white matter changes in the prefrontal cortex. More recently, Sugimoto has explored how individual neuronal states — measured via plasma neurofilament light chain levels — moderate intervention effectiveness, pushing the field toward personalized cognitive care. His 2024 work on home-based, robot-assisted question-asking paradigms further reflects his commitment to scalable, accessible solutions for healthy aging populations worldwide.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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