Understanding the plasticity mechanisms of the brain through excitatory-inhibitory balance modulation.

• Project/Area Number: 19H01041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 51:Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Shibata Kazuhisa 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳神経科学研究センター, チームリーダー (20505979)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高堂 裕平 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 量子医科学研究所 脳機能イメージング研究部, 主幹研究員 (60593564)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥44,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥34,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥10,320,000); Fiscal Year 2022: ¥8,060,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,860,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥15,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,480,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥12,480,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,880,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥9,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥7,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,100,000)
• Keywords: 視覚 / 運動 / 可塑性 / 安定性 / ニューロフィードバック / 学習 / 脳イメージング / 磁気共鳴分光法 / 興奮抑制バランス

Outline of Research at the Start

ピアノ演奏や宝石鑑定といったスキルの学習には、訓練に応じて脳を変化させる可塑性と、無用な脳の変化を防ぐ安定性が不可欠である。本研究では、この可塑性と安定性を制御する仕組みとして、脳の興奮性・抑制性神経修飾物質の変化に焦点をあてる。第一に、研究代表者が開発した脳の状態を操作する技術を援用し、特定脳部位の興奮抑制バランスを操作するための技術を開発する。第二に、この技術を用い、興奮抑制バランスがスキル学習における可塑性・安定性を決めることを実証する。本研究の成果は、興奮抑制バランスの変調に起因する脳機能不全の治療法開発にも貢献し、科学・社会の両面で強い波及効果をもたらす。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to develop a new technique, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) feedback, for non-invasive control of brain plasticity, and to investigate the potential for enhancing visual and motor skills using MRS feedback. Despite the global research disruptions and delays in distribution caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to utilize a high-field MRI system and created an environment for conducting MRS feedback by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. Currently, we are progressing with data measurements and hypothesis validation. Over the course of several years dedicated to this research, we have published nine peer-reviewed papers and one book (in English) on brain plasticity and neurofeedback.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自らを可塑的に変化させ新しいスキルを学習すること、学んだスキルを安定的に保持すること、相反する2つの機能の間で、脳は本質的なジレンマを抱えている。過度な可塑性は既存のスキルの破壊を招き、過度な安定性はスキルの獲得を阻害するためである。脳はどのように可塑性と安定性を制御しているのだろうか？脳がこのジレンマを解決する仕組みの理解は、脳の可塑性機序に関する研究を進展させるだけでなく、より効率的なスキル訓練法や、学習を促進するブレインテックの創出に寄与する。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] ブラウン大学(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] 国立陽明交通大学(中国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] ブラウン大学/シカゴ大学/カリフォルニア工科大学(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] マギル大学(カナダ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] ブラウン大学(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] デンバー大学/ボストン大学(米国)
• [Journal Article] The phase of plasticity-induced neurochemical changes of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are different from visual perceptual learning (2023)
  • Author(s): Lin Shang-Hua N.、Lien Yun R.、Shibata Kazuhisa、Sasaki Yuka、Watanabe Takeo、Lin Ching-Po、Chang Li-Hung
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Pages: 5720-5720
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32985-8
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Decrease in signal-related activity by visual training and repetitive visual stimulation (2022)
  • Author(s): Marzoll Andreas、Shibata Kazuhisa、Toyoizumi Taro、Chavva Isha、Watanabe Takeo
  • Journal Title: iScience Volume: 25 Issue: 12 Pages: 105492-105492
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105492
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] MRS-measured glutamate versus GABA reflects excitatory versus inhibitory neural activities in awake mice (2021)
  • Author(s): Takado Yuhei、Takuwa Hiroyuki、Sampei Kazuaki、Urushihata Takuya、Takahashi Manami、Shimojo Masafumi、Uchida Shoko、Nitta Nobuhiro、Shibata Sayaka、Nagashima Keisuke、Ochi Yoshihiro、Ono Maiko、Maeda Jun、Tomita Yutaka、Sahara Naruhiko、Near Jamie、Aoki Ichio、Shibata Kazuhisa、Higuchi Makoto
  • Journal Title: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism Volume: 42 Issue: 1 Pages: 197-212
  • DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211045449
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Preserving Agency During Electrical Muscle Stimulation Training Speeds up Reaction Time Directly After Removing EMS (2021)
  • Author(s): Kasahara Shunichi、Takada Kazuma、Nishida Jun、Shibata Kazuhisa、Shimojo Shinsuke、Lopes Pedro
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Volume: 1 Pages: 1-5
  • DOI: 10.1145/3411764.3445147
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Visual perceptual learning of a primitive feature in human V1/V2 as a result of unconscious processing, revealed by decoded functional MRI neurofeedback (DecNef) (2021)
  • Author(s): Wang Zhiyan、Tamaki Masako、Frank Sebastian M.、Shibata Kazuhisa、Worden Michael S.、Yamada Takashi、Kawato Mitsuo、Sasaki Yuka、Watanabe Takeo
  • Journal Title: Journal of Vision Volume: 21 Issue: 8 Pages: 24-24
  • DOI: 10.1167/jov.21.8.24
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] The DecNef collection, fMRI data from closed-loop decoded neurofeedback experiments (2021)
  • Author(s): Cortese, A., Tanaka, C,S.,_Amano, K.,_Koizumi, A., Lau, H., Sasaki, Y., Shibata, K., Taschereau-Dumouche, V., Watanabe, T., Kawato, M.
  • Journal Title: Scientific Data Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Pages: 65-65
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00845-7
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Pain Control by Co-adaptive Learning in a Brain-Machine Interface (2020)
  • Author(s): Zhang Suyi、Yoshida Wako、Mano Hiroaki、Yanagisawa Takufumi、Mancini Flavia、Shibata Kazuhisa、Kawato Mitsuo、Seymour Ben
  • Journal Title: Current Biology Volume: 30 Issue: 20 Pages: 3935-3944.e7
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.066
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Perception, Cognition, and Action in Hyperspaces: Implications on Brain Plasticity, Learning, and Cognition (2020)
  • Author(s): Ogmen Haluk、Shibata Kazuhisa、Yazdanbakhsh Arash
  • Journal Title: Frontiers in Psychology Volume: 10
  • DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03000
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Spatial variability induces generalization in contextual cueing. (2019)
  • Author(s): Higuchi Yoko、Ueda Yoshiyuki、Shibata Kazuhisa、Saiki Jun
  • Journal Title: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition Volume: 印刷中 Issue: 12 Pages: 2295-2313
  • DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000796
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 運動系列学習の定着・再定着における一次体性感覚野・運動野の寄与 (2022)
  • Author(s): 大橋浩輝、柴田和久
  • Organizer: Motor Control研究会
• [Presentation] Higher-order statistics contained in natural scenes allow task-irrelevant visual perceptual learning of supra-threshold orientation to occur (2021)
  • Author(s): Kazuhisa Shibata, Daiki Ogawa, Yuka Sasaki, & Takeo Watanabe
  • Organizer: Vision Sciences Society Annual Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Visual perceptual learning (VPL) of background natural scenes works in a different manner than that of artificial images: the first step for systematic investigations of VPL of natural scenes (2020)
  • Author(s): Kazuhisa Shibata, Daiki Ogawa, Yuka Sasaki, & Takeo Watanabe
  • Organizer: Vision Sciences Society Annual Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Book] fMRI Neurofeedback (2021)
  • Author(s): Michelle Hampson, Kazuhisa Shibata
  • Total Pages: 345
  • Publisher: Academic Press
  • ISBN: 9780128224212