The mechanism of facial cognitive function in temporal lobe epilepsy

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00210
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA AKIHIRO 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (10733503)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 水野 敏樹 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (30264782) ; 山田 惠 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80315960)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 側頭葉てんかん / 顔表情認知 / 機能的磁気共鳴画像法 / 扁桃体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A previous report has shown that patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
(MTLE) showed impaired recognition of sadness, fear, and disgust. Superior temporal sulcus, amygdala and frontal lobe may be involved in the process of emotional recognition of facial expressions.The purpose of this study elucidates is that the process of facial emotion recognition (FER) using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)with dynamic facial stimuli. Therefore, patients with MTLE showed impairments on fear and disgust recognition. Amygdala involvement in fear perception is well known, and the insular region is a known neuronal substrate for the recognition ofrdisgust. Amygdala and insular function are often disrupted by the spread of epileptiform activity from the MTL. Work is now in progress to further elucidate this mechanism.

Free Research Field

てんかん

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

内側側頭葉てんかんの患者の表情認知機能について，機能的磁気共鳴画像法の解析によりそのメカニズムの解明により，有効的な外科治療に結びつく．さらに，表情認知機能の障害の存在を患者自身や周りの者が理解することにより，てんかん患者が社会生活を営みやすくなり，またリハビリテーションを行い，苦手分野の克服をすることも可能と考えられ，てんかん患者が社会からの偏見もなく健常人と同様の社会生活を送れることにつながる．