Comparative investigation on inseparability of attention from intention: Functional significance of centrifugal control of the avian retina

• Project/Area Number: 16K00209
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Uchiyama Hiroyuki 鹿児島大学, 理工学域工学系, 教授 (70223576)
• Research Collaborator: Ohno Hiroshi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 向網膜系 / 網膜 / 視蓋 / 空間的注意 / 定位運動 / 標的識別力 / 刺激検出力 / 遠心性制御 / 視覚運動変換 / 視覚運動統合 / 目標指向性運動 / 遠心性視覚系 / 選択的促通 / 行動選択 / 到達運動 / 認知科学 / 神経科学 / 脳・神経 / 行動学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Birds have a well-developed system projecting from the brain to the retina, the retinopetal system. In the present study, we investigated the functional significance of the signal sent by the retinopetal system to the retina. If the retinopetal signal is blocked by microinjection of muscimol into the isthmo-optic nucleus, not only discriminability of the target but also detectability of stimulus are impaired. Thus, the retinopetal signal may improve target discriminability and stimulus detectability. Furthermore, the improvement of target detectability may result in correct and prompt orienting to the target.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

向網膜信号は標的検出力を向上させることが明らかとなったが，それは動物の標的への正しく素早い定位運動を生成していることも分かった．例えば採餌行動での標的すなわち餌への素早い定位行動は，効率的な採餌と採餌時間の短縮（→捕食者による発見確率の低下）に繋がり，動物の生存確率の向上に資する．このように向網膜系の機能的意義を動物の合理的で効率的な行動という文脈で考察できるようになった．

Research Products

• [Presentation] Tectofugal pathway to the retina: Its role in target detection and selection (2019)
  • Author(s): H. Uchiyama
  • Organizer: Advances in the study of bird perception and cognition
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Inactivation of the isthmo-optic neurons impairs visuomotor transformation for proper target orienting (2018)
  • Author(s): H. Uchiyama, H. Ohno, T. Kawasaki, Y. Ohwatari, T. Narimatsu, Y. Miyanagi
  • Organizer: The 28th Annual Conference of the Japanese Neural Network Society
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 向網膜信号による網膜出力の選択的促通と標的への到達運動における役割 (2017)
  • Author(s): 成松貴大，三柳裕策，平島康寛，肥後大次朗，田前俊，大野裕史，内山博之
  • Organizer: 鹿児島神経科学研究会
• [Presentation] 向網膜信号の遮断は視野全域の標的検出力を低下させる (2016)
  • Author(s): 内山 博之，大野 裕史，大渡 雄貴，成松 貴大、三柳 裕策
  • Organizer: 視覚科学フォーラム
  • Place of Presentation: 脳情報通信融合研究センター（大阪府吹田市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-08-26