Neural Mechanism of Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity: Studies from a Perspective of Functional Hierarchical Organization of the Brain

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K21689
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cognitive science; Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Shimane University (2018-2019); National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Minamoto Takehiro 島根大学, 学術研究院人間科学系, 准教授 (40611306)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ワーキングメモリ / 前頭前野 / 脳機能画像法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study elucidated neural mechanism mediating individual differences in working memory capacity. Mainly focusing on function of the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), the present project not only investigated activity level of the lPFC, but also functional coupling of the lPFC during task-related and task-free states. Three possible neural mechanisms are proposed to mediate individual differences in working memory capacity, which need to be validated by further investigations.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年では，前頭前野の活動だけでなく，前頭前野と他の脳領域との連携が，高度な認知機能にとって重要な役割を果たすことが示されている。本研究により，ワーキングメモリ機能の個人差においても領域間の連携が関与することが示唆されたことから，認知機能の改善を目指すプログラムを考案する上では，これらの神経メカニズムを念頭に置きながら研究開発を進めるべきであると言える。