Brain information processing shared in eidetic image and synesthesia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K00197
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Iwate University
• Principal Investigator: Matsuoka Kazuo 岩手大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (50209508)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山口 浩 岩手大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (20174625) ; 宮内 哲 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 脳情報通信融合研究センター企画室, 嘱託 (80190734) ; 名畑 理津子 北海道大学, 文学研究科, 専門研究員 (70800423)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KAWACHI Youshke (20565775) ; SON Yoruwan (30358816) ; OGAWA Kenji (50586021)
• Research Collaborator: PRIMA OKY,DICKY 岩手県立大学, 准教授 ; IMABUCHI Takashi 岩手県立大学, 大学院 ; MORIKAWA Mihoko 岩手大学, 大学院
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 直観像 / 共感覚 / 脳機能画像法 / fMRI / NIRS / smooth pursuit / VBM / 心的イメージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present research concerning eidetics and synesthesia yielded the following new findings. (1) The identification tests of eidetikers and synesthetes among Japanese collage students showed that the ratio of synesthetes within eidetikers was approximately 50%, synesthetes with eidetics were mostly localizer type, and eidetikers and synesthetes showed higher scores of imagination related questionnaires (VVIQ, OSlQ, CEQ). (2) Neuroimaging data (VBM and resting state fMRI) suggested that eidetikers had a specific brain structure and a functional connectivity network. In fNIRS studies, eidetikers showed stronger activation of occipital early visual areas during visualizing tasks. (3) In addition, eidetikers shows a perceptual peculiarity in imaging: that is 'eidetic smooth pursuit eye movement' occurring without real moving stimulus or a specific response to the task visualizing imaginary digit sequences. Based on these findings, a model of the related neurocognitive bases was proposed.

Free Research Field

認知心理学