Elucidation of the neural basis of human gravity perception

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19305
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Otemon Gakuin University (2021-2023); Hamamatsu University School of Medicine (2020)
• Principal Investigator: TANI KEISUKE 追手門学院大学, 心理学部, 特任助教 (20824741)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 重力知覚 / 身体軸 / 神経基盤 / 脳 / 脳形態解析 / 経頭蓋磁気刺激 / 身体傾斜 / 空間知覚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we explored the brain regions involved in the perception of the direction of gravity or body axis using voxel-based morphometry, and examined the causal relationship between brain region and the perception of the body axis direction using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Additionally, the relationship between visual dependence regarding the perception of gravitational direction and the cerebellum was examined using TMS.
We found that 1) gray matter volume of the right middle occipital gyrus correlated with the performance in the perception of body axis direction,2) TMS to the this region significantly altered the performance of body axis direction perception when the body tilted,and 3) TMS to the cerebellar vermis changed visual dependency in the gravity perception.These findings may facilitate our understanding of the neural basis underlying the perception of gravitational space.

Free Research Field

実験心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

重力空間の知覚に関わる神経基盤について因果関係性まで調べた研究はほとんど存在しなかった。本研究課題で得られた成果は、脳と重力空間知覚の関係性の詳細な理解に寄与するだけでなく、スポーツなどにおける重力空間知覚トレーニングの開発につながる可能性がある。