Yamanaka Lab | University of Tsukuba

We hope that our studies will contribute to elderly care and aging society.
  • Japanese
  • English

E-Mail:

Katsuo Yamanaka (Ph.D) is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Human Sciences, in the University of Tsukuba, Japan. He is a clinical psychologist, and his major is clinical geropsychology (generally speaking, psychology for the elderly). He is particularly interested in nonpharmacological interventions, including psychosocial approaches for people with dementia, and the development of assessments to examine the effects of the approaches. He mainly teaches students in master's and doctoral programs in Neuroscience in the University of Tsukuba. (https://www.neurosci.tsukuba.ac.jp/)

Self-introduction

Hello Everyone,
I'm Katsuo Yamanaka. I have been mainly studying psychosocial approaches for people with dementia, and the development of assessments to examine their effects, for a long time. It is important for us to bridge evidence with practices. The ultimate goal of my life as a practical researcher is to create better dementia friendly communities, where people with dementia have many chances and resources so that they can share happiness with others. I welcome students and researchers from around the world who are interested in the following academic themes which are being studied in my laboratory:

  • Psychosocial approaches for people with dementia: structured group activities for people with dementia (cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, etc.); interventions to challenging behaviors in people with dementia.
  • Assessments of cognitions, mood, behaviors, and quality of life of people with dementia.
  • Methods to support carers, regardless if they are professionals or nonprofessionals.
  • Attitudes into people with dementia and knowledge about people with dementia.
  • Geropsychological themes closely related to practices for people with dementia and their surrounding people.

Academic Papers

  • Ishikawa, A., Onchi, E., & Yamanaka, K. (2025). Usability of Behavioural Recording Application (BRA) for Coping With Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. Psychogeriatrics, 25(4), e70061. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.70061
  • Matsuda, K., Nishida, K., Yamada, T., & Yamanaka, K. (2025). Smile Detection in Real-World Dementia Care Setting: A Pilot Study Toward Objective Evaluation of the Quality of Life of Persons with Dementia, Advanced Biomedical Engineering, 14, 241-250. https://doi.org/10.14326/abe.14.241
  • Yamanaka, K. (2025). Inclusive Perspective of Aging, Dementia, and Society. Ida, Y., et al. (ed). Human Diversity and Educational Equity in Japan: Well-Being in the Human Sciences Landscape. Springer, 231-241.
  • Yamanaka, K., Miyazawa, N., & Oba, H. (2025). Morphemes of Dignity in Dementia Care: Quantitative Text Analysis of Family Perspectives Across Periods After Diagnosis. Psychogeriatrics, 25(5), e70070. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.70070
  • Yamanaka, K., Noguchi, D., Sato, S., Kosugi, N., Kanemoto, H., Yoshiyama, K., Ikeda, M., & Kazui, H. (2025). How do caregivers successfully cope with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia? A web-based, preliminary analysis using a hybrid approach. International psychogeriatrics, 100050. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpsyc.2025.100050
  • Noguchi, D., Kazui, H., Yamanaka, K. (2023). A short staff training system for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in care facilities, based on functional analysis and positive behaviour support: a single-arm pre- and post-comparative study. Psychogeriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.13066
  • Yamanaka, K., Todo, N., Yoshizawa, M., Uchida T. (2021). Cross-sectional survey of the replacement of the Japanese term for dementia: Did it reduce discomfort in family members? Brain and Behavior, 11(3), e02012. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2012
  • Niikawa,H., Kawano,Y., Yamanaka,K., Okamura, T., Inagaki, H., Ito, K., Awata, S. (2019). Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of a self-report (DEMQOL) and carer-proxy (DEMQOL-PROXY) measure of health-related quality of life in people with dementia? Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 19(6), 487-491. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13646
  • Amano, T., Yamanaka, K., & Carpenter, B. D. (2019). Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale. Dementia, 18(2), 599-612. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301216685943
  • Suomiya Bao, Ryosuke Kuboi, Ryohei Iijima, Hironobu Minagawa, Katuo Yamanaka, & Takahashi Misuhiki (2018). Printed Book or E-book, Which is Better? An Investigation using Manga and Magazine. International Journal of Affective Engineering, 18(1), 9-16. https://doi.org/10.5057/ijae.IJAE-D-17-00038
  • Yamanaka, K., Ueda, Y., & Matsuda C. (2017). CST: International perspective; Japan. In Yates, L., A., Yates, J., Orrell, M., Spector, A., Woods, B. (Eds.), Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Dementia: History, Evolution and Internationalism (Aging and Mental Health Research). Routledge, 220-232 (Chapter 11).
  • Sittiphan Jiyavorananda, Hiroko Ishikawa, Shunsuke Sakai, Katsuo Yamanaka, Toshimasa Yamanaka, & Tomoyuki Masuda (2016). Elucidation of Factors Predicting the Impression of "Yuru-sa" in Japanese Yuru-kyara Mascot Characters. International Journal of Affective Engineering. https://doi.org/10.5057/ijae.IJAE-D-15-00049
  • Warren, N. J., Kamimura,A., Trinh, H. N., Stephens, E., Omi, K., Kanaoka, A., Ishikawa, A., & Yamanaka, K. (2015). Perceptions of aging and disability among college students in Japan. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(33), 52-60.
  • Noguchi, D., Kawano, Y., & Yamanaka, K. (2013). Care staff training in residential homes for managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia based on differential reinforcement procedures of applied behaviour analysis: a process research. Psychogeriatrics, 13(2), 108–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12006
  • Yamanaka, K., Kawano, Y., Noguchi, D., Nakaaki, S., Watanabe, N., Amano, T., & Spector, A. (2013). Effects of cognitive stimulation therapy Japanese version (CST-J) for people with dementia: a single-blind, controlled clinical trial. Aging & Mental Health, 17(5), 579–586. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2013.777395
  • Torii, K., Nakaaki, S., Banno, K., Murata, Y., Sato, J., Tatsumi, H., Yamanaka, K., Narumoto, J., Mimura, M., Akechi, T., & Furukawa, T. A. (2011). Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Agitated Behaviour in Dementia Scale in Alzheimer's disease: three dimensions of agitated behaviour in dementia. Psychogeriatrics, 11(4), 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2011.00371.x
  • Mochizuki-Kawai, H., Mochizuki, S., Midorikawa, A., Yamanaka, K., Tagaya, H., & Kawamura, M. (2006). Disappearance of memory fragments in patients with Alzheimer's disease: evidence from a longitudinal study of visual priming. Neuropsychologia, 44(7), 1114–1119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.10.017
  • Miyairi, T., Takamoto, S., Kotsuka, Y., Takeuchi, A., Yamanaka, K., & Sato, H. (2005). Comparison of neurocognitive results after coronary artery bypass grafting and thoracic aortic surgery using retrograde cerebral perfusion. European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery, 28(1), 97–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcts.2004.12.066
  • Miyairi, T., Takamoto, S., Kotsuka, Y., Takeuchi, A., Yamanaka, K., & Sato, H. (2004). Neurocognitive outcome after retrograde cerebral perfusion. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 77(5), 1630–1635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2003.10.007
  • Mochizuki-Kawai, H., Kawamura, M., Hasegawa, Y., Mochizuki, S., Oeda, R., Yamanaka, K., & Tagaya, H. (2004). Deficits in long-term retention of learned motor skills in patients with cortical or subcortical degeneration. Neuropsychologia, 42(13), 1858–1863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2004.03.012