A study of visual discomfort using psychological experiments and MRS

• Project/Area Number: 17K13966
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshimoto Sanae 広島大学, 総合科学研究科, 助教 (80773407)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
• Keywords: 視覚 / 情動 / 感性 / フリッカ / 不快感 / 順応 / 画像統計量 / MRS / 神経伝達物質 / 個人差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors related to visual discomfort and its underlying mechanisms. To achieve this purpose, the discomfort of flickering stimuli with different amplitude and phase spectra was measured. We found that the discomfort in the temporal domain is dependent not only on the amplitude spectrum but also the phase spectrum. While there was no correlation between the concentration of any neurotransmitter in the primary visual cortex and discomfort, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses for the stimuli that can induce strong discomfort tended to increase. These findings suggest that visual discomfort can be associated with a higher process that is sensitive to the specific profile of the phase structure of the stimuli as well as the overstimulation or increased neural activity in the early visual system.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究から、不快感を喚起する視覚刺激の要因の一端を明らかにした。健常者が不快に感じる視覚刺激は、光過敏性発作を誘発するリスクがあることが知られている。そのため、本研究成果は、不快感と視覚特性との繋がりに関する理解を深めるだけでなく、映像の安全性を高める上で役立つと期待される。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] ネバダ大学リノ校(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] エセックス大学(英国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] ネバダ大学リノ校(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] エセックス大学(英国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] ネバダ大学リノ校(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] エセックス大学(英国)
• [Journal Article] The Effect of Daily Experience on Gaze Patterns in Visual Search (2019)
  • Author(s): 和崎 夏子、竹内 龍人、吉本 早苗
  • Journal Title: VISION Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Pages: 55-66
  • DOI: 10.24636/vision.31.2_55
  • NAID: 130007636822
  • ISSN: 0917-1142, 2433-5630
  • Year and Date: 2019-04-20
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Adaptation and visual discomfort from flicker (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto, S., Jiang, F., Takeuchi, T., Wilkins, A. J., & Webster, M. A.
  • Journal Title: Vision Research Volume: 160 Pages: 99-107
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.04.010
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Effect of spatial attention on spatiotopic visual motion perception (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto, S., & Takeuchi, T.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Vision Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Pages: 1-19
  • DOI: 10.1167/19.4.4
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Visual discomfort and flicker (2017)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto S, Garcia J, Jiang F, Wilkins AJ, Takeuchi T, Webster MA.
  • Journal Title: Vision Research Volume: 138 Pages: 18-28
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2017.05.015
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Temporal characteristics of visual discomfort (2017)
  • Author(s): 吉本早苗
  • Journal Title: The Japanese Journal of Psychonomic Science Volume: 36 Issue: 1 Pages: 75-84
  • DOI: 10.14947/psychono.36.1
  • NAID: 130006247223
  • ISSN: 0287-7651, 2188-7977
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] 環境光変化が視野安定性にもたらす影響 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉本 早苗、竹内 龍人
  • Organizer: 日本基礎心理学会第38回大会
• [Presentation] 環境光への順応がフリッカによる不快感に及ぼす影響 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉本 早苗、竹内 龍人、Jiang Fang、Wilkins Arnold J.、Webster Michael A.
  • Organizer: 日本心理学会第83回大会
• [Presentation] Effect of practice and chromatic information on gaze patterns during visual search (2019)
  • Author(s): Wasaki Natsuko、Tatsuto Takeuchi、Yoshimoto Sanae
  • Organizer: European Conference on Visual Perception
• [Presentation] Chromatic information modifies gaze patterns in visual search (2019)
  • Author(s): Wasaki Natsuko、Tatsuto Takeuchi、Yoshimoto Sanae
  • Organizer: Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision
• [Presentation] Motion priming reveals visual instability under sudden change in ambient light level (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto Sanae、Tatsuto Takeuchi
  • Organizer: Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision
• [Presentation] Daily driving experiences modify gaze patterns during visual searches of driving scenes (2019)
  • Author(s): Wasaki, N., Takeuchi, T., Yoshimoto, S.
  • Organizer: International Convention of Psychological Science
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Adaptation and visual discomfort from flicker (2018)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto, S., Takeuchi, T., Jiang, F., Wilkins, A. J., Webster, M. A.
  • Organizer: OSA Fall Vision Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 環境光と視知覚 ～順応による運動知覚の変容～ (2018)
  • Author(s): 吉本 早苗
  • Organizer: 玉川大学脳科学研究社会神経科学共同研究拠点研究会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 視覚的不快感の時間特性 (2017)
  • Author(s): 吉本早苗, 竹内龍人, Jesel Garcia, Fang Jiang, Arnold J. Wilkins, Michael A. Webster
  • Organizer: 日本基礎心理学会第36回大会若手オーラルセッション
  • Invited