Research on the causal effect of brain encoding of sound on being emotionally moved

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19KK0316
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cognitive science; Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Osaka University (2021-2022); National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Mori Kazuma 大阪大学, 大学院人間科学研究科, 招へい研究員 (70754696)
• Project Period (FY): 2020 – 2022
• Keywords: 感動 / 報酬 / 音楽 / 脳 / 安静時脳機能結合 / 機械学習 / 脳情報デコーディング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

When we feel emotionally moved by the artworks such as music, the brain shows specific activity. However, it is unclear the mechanisms underpinning this activity. In this study, we investigated the factors that could generate emotional being moved by focusing on the brain network immediately before listening to music (the original research plan was changed due to a pandemic). The results showed that the being moved response during music lasted longer when a specific network was formed in the auditory-reward brain region before music listening. In addition, the intensity of physiological responses and rewarding brain activity for music was also predictable from the auditory-reward network prior to listening. These results indicate that a state-dependent brain network is one of the factors that contribute to being moved.

Free Research Field

認知脳科学、感性情報学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、音楽を聴取する前の脳ネットワークの値を用いた機械学習によって、音楽に対する感動反応が予測できると示した。音楽の感動は報酬脳活動をもたらすと知られているが、その要因については未解明の部分が多い。本研究の成果から、音楽による報酬脳活動を規定する要因に関しての新たな学術的知見が得られたと言える。また、例えば、味嗅覚に関する脳領域と報酬脳領域のネットワークが、食への報酬を規定するといった、他感覚での報酬を示唆する成果でもある。本研究の感覚野と報酬の脳ネットワークによりその後の経験を予測する技術の開発は、五感に関する新たなマインドリーディングの手法となり得るものであり社会的意義が大きい。