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Physiological basis of recognition

Research Project

Project/Area Number 61450013
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field Psychology
Research InstitutionUniversity of Tokyo

Principal Investigator

NIKI Hiroaki  Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Univ. of Tokyo., 文学部, 教授 (10073074)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) HAMAMURA Yoshihisa  Instructor of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Univ. of Tokyo., 文学部, 助手 (00172990)
渡辺 正孝  東京工科大学, 助教授 (50092383)
Project Period (FY) 1986 – 1988
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1988)
Budget Amount *help
¥5,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,700,000)
Fiscal Year 1988: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 1987: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
Fiscal Year 1986: ¥4,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000)
KeywordsHippocampus / unit activity / monkey / recognition / 海馬
Research Abstract

The main aim of this project was to examine the neuronal correlate of recognition memory. In order to attain this aim we must employ an adequate task. In the first year it was examined whether 'preferential looking' method-usually employed in the study of infant memory-could be applied to the monkey. It was found that the adult monkeys exhibit 'preferential looking'. But it turned out that this method was not always adequate for unit recording experiment. Consequently, we began to examine the single unit activity of the hippocampus while the monkey was performing a a delayed-pair comparison task (a king of recognition task). In this task two stimuli (S1 and S2) were presented successively with a short delay, and the animal was required to perform 'GO' response when the first (S1) and the second (S2) stimuli were the same. On the other hand, the animal had to perform 'NO-GO' response when these two stimuli were different. The main interest centered on the discovery of those neurons which showed differential activity during the delay period since such neurons might be related to the mnemonic process (working memory). Such differential delay units showing differential activity during delay were found in the hippocampus. The result indicates that the hippocampus is involved in the recognition task, and the differential activity during delay represents the working memory' of the first stimulus.

Report

(4 results)
  • 1988 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1987 Annual Research Report
  • 1986 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1987-03-31   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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