| Project/Area Number |
08451021
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
実験系心理学
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience |
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Principal Investigator |
WATANABE Masataka Tokyo Metropol.Inst.Neurosci.Phychology, Staff Scientist, 心理学研究部門, 副参事研究員 (50092383)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
HIKOSAKA Kazuo Tokyo Metropol.Inst.Neurosci.Phychology, Staff Scientist, 心理学研究部門, 主事研究員 (60129004)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1997
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 1997)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥6,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,100,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥4,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,300,000)
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| Keywords | expectancy / cognitive map / reward / prefrontal cortex / context / monitor / neuronal activity / 遅延反応課題 / 連合課題 |
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| Research Abstract |
"Expectancy" and "cognitive map", which were important concepts concerning the cognitive function in the theory of neobehaviorist Tolman, have gained revised attention by many cognitive scientists and cognitive neuroscientists. The present study was conducted to investigate neuronal mechanisms of these concepts.
In the experiment, the animal was trained to perform "delayd response" and "delayd reaction time" tasks by using several kinds of food and liquid rewards. The aminla was reinforced or not reinforced for its correct response, and at the begining of each trial the animal was informed of the presence or absence of the reward, or the kind of reward which should be given or should not be given. It was found that there are neurons in the primate prefrontal cortex which are considered to be involved in the "expectancy of the specific reward" as well as those which are involved in the "expectancy of the absence of the specific reward".
The animal was trained on several different versions of the two kinds of tasks (delayd response and delayd reaction time). It was found that there are neurons in the primate prefrontal cortex which showed different magnitude of, or different pattern of, activity changes depending of the difference of the task situation. These nuerons are considered to be related to monitoring the context of the task situation.
Recent studies of the prefrontal cortex have concentrated on the mechanisms of working memory in the control of behavior. The present study indicates that the prefrontal cortex plays important roles also in monitoring the context were the animal is faced with.
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