2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Neural mechanisms of category formation and categorical reasoning
| Project/Area Number |
19673002
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (S)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Experimental psychology
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2007 – 2011
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| Keywords | 前頭連合野 / カテゴリ / 推論 / 単一ニューロン活動 / 経頭蓋磁気刺激 |
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| Research Abstract |
In order to investigate the neural mechanisms of top-down behavioral control based on category and rule, we recorded single-unit activity in the monkey prefrontal cortex during task performance. Many of the recorded neurons were found to code category, rule, or predicted outcome. We also performed reversible functional inhibition of the prefrontal cortex by low-frequency repetitive trans-cranial stimulation (rTMS). By inhibiting the prefrontal cortex, immediate adaptation of behavior based on category and rule was impaired, whereas the basic ability for association learning remained unimpaired. These results suggest that the prefrontal cortex plays an important role in the top-down control of behavior based on category and rule. Based on the properties of the recorded neurons, we proposed a neuron circuit model of the prefrontal cortex for top-down behavioral control.
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Research Products
(12 results)
