Dr YU Jiasui, a graduate and Postdoctoral Fellow from PolyU's Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was awarded a travel grant for the RIKEN CBS Summer Program 2026 to present his research in Tokyo, Japan.

Dr YU was supervised by Prof. Sonata YAU Suk-yu, Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. The project directly contributes to the field of smart ageing by addressing the interplay among sarcopenia, physical activity and mental health, three critical components for ageing populations.

Dr YU's findings identify apelin as a key molecular link connecting age-related muscle decline to impaired hippocampal function and depression. By demonstrating that enhancing apelin signalling can mimic the beneficial effects of exercise on mood and neurogenesis, this research opens up avenues for developing targeted interventions for individuals with limited mobility.

The research was accepted for publication in Molecular Psychiatry, a leading journal in psychiatry that is one of the Nature Portfolio journals.

The RIKEN CBS Summer Program is offered by the RIKEN Center for Brain Science to train advanced students with broad interests in neuroscience. The programme is sponsored by the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO). This year's programme will explore the fundamental principles underlying children's brain development and neuropsychiatric disorders. It will cover diverse yet essential topics, including genetic and synaptic mechanisms, network dynamics and developmental psychology, and will highlight translational studies that demonstrate how basic research can improve clinical practice.

Dr YU won the Best Poster Presentation Professor Roongtam Ladpli Award for his presentation, "Muscle-derived Apelin Mediates Exercise-Induced Antidepressant Effects and Hippocampal Neuroplasticity", under Prof. YAU's supervision, at the 28th Thai Neuroscience Society Annual Conference held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in late October 2025. The study also earned him full funding support from IBRO in the form of a travel grant to attend the IBRO-APRC Associate School on "Neuroplasticity Across the Lifespan" in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from late October to early November 2025.

Yu, J. (29–31 October 2025). Muscle-derived Apelin Mediates Exercise-Induced Antidepressant Effects and Hippocampal Neuroplasticity [Poster presentation]. 28th Thai Neuroscience Society Annual Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Yu J, Cheng T, Guo H, Song Z, Li J, Formolo DA, et al. Muscle apelin mediates the antidepressant effects of physical exercise by enhancing adult hippocampal neurogenesis: the muscle-brain axis. Molecular Psychiatry. 2026. In press.