Neural mechanisms for the formation of self-controll choice preference

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Jimura Koji 慶應義塾大学, 理工学部(矢上), 准教授 (80431766)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中原 潔 高知工科大学, 情報学群, 教授 (50372363)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 異時的意思決定 / 自己制御 / 機能的MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the current study, we aimed to explore neural mechanisms for the formation of self-controlled choice preference and measured brain activity using fMRI while human participants performed a choice task for real liquid rewards. While they were awaiting a future reward, the anterior prefrontal cortex showed dynamics signals that reflected utility of anticipation, which was enhanced in self-controlled individuals. When the anterior prefrontal activity was increased, activity in the ventral striatum was diminished; this tendency was also enhanced in self-controlled individuals. On the other hand, during consumption of a liquid reward, reduced activity in ventral striatum was associated with subsequent self-controlled choice.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

将来に起こる好ましい出来事を期待することは，脳がもつ重要な機能であり，自己制御のある選択を可能にする．しかし，自己制御のある選択が，いつ，どのように形成されているかはよくわかっていない．そこで，本研究は，遅延する液体報酬を経験・選択する際の脳活動を計測し，自己制御の選択指向がどのように形成されるかを調べた．本研究で発見された前頭前野の信号の時間的特徴は，将来の報酬を待つことの楽しさが，自己制御の選択指向の形成に関わっていること示唆している．