Neural circuit underlying flexible behavior in animals

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H01769
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10040:Experimental psychology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Ozawa Takaaki 大阪大学, 蛋白質研究所, 助教 (90625352)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 兎田 幸司 慶應義塾大学, 文学部(三田), 助教 (60794948)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 予測 / 報酬 / 罰 / 時間

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the psychophysiological and neuronal mechanisms underlying the regulation of the flexible expectations for the future reward or punishment. As a result, we revealed the involvement of dopaminergic mechanisms in the expectation for both reward and punishment. Furthermore, we found that the pupil reaction is a potential physiological measurement of a time-based reward expectation and that the limbic circuit is a key neural mechanism in the regulation of time perception.

Free Research Field

実験心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

予測や期待とその柔軟な制御はヒトをヒトたらしめている重要な能力である。本研究は、この認知機能を司る神経メカニズムの一端を明らかにした点で、心理学・神経科学的に重要な意義を持つ。また、本研究で新たに明らかにされた神経メカニズムは、様々な認知機能障害に対する薬物治療の開発・発展に貢献する。