Neural mechanisms underlying inequity aversion in non-human primates

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H00966
• 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: National Institute for Physiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Noritake Atsushi 生理学研究所, システム脳科学研究領域, 助教 (80407684)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 不公平嫌悪 / サル / 島皮質 / 内側前頭前野

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Humans and other primates exhibit an aversion to inequity. To investigate neural mechanisms underlying this aversion, we designed a reward distribution experiment based on the ultimatum game for macaques and recorded multi-site activity from the medial prefrontal cortex and the insular cortex. Our findings revealed that monkeys, like humans, exhibit behaviors indicating an aversion to inequity. We identified distinct neural cell groups in the medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior insular cortex responsible for processing information related to inequity aversion. Furthermore, when expressing inequity aversion, we observed strong coordinated activity in the theta wave band, indexed by the coherence, between the medial prefrontal cortex and the insular cortex was observed. These results suggest that the medial prefrontal cortex and the insular cortex are strongly associated with the expression of behaviors indicating an aversion to inequity.

Free Research Field

システム神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、集団生活をおこなう種の中で電気生理学的に不公平嫌悪の神経機序について調べた初めての研究であり、ヒトを対象とした非侵襲的手法や不公平嫌悪様行動が未だ認められていないげっ歯類を対象とした研究では得られない知見を得ることができた。本研究で得た内側前頭前野および島皮質の電気生理学的知見は、自他の報酬・行動選択情報処理および神経情報集団で生活する霊長類の社会的行動を説明し得る数理モデルの端緒となり得る。また、自閉症や統合失調症などの社会性に支障をきたす傾向にある精神疾患や気分障害の人を対象として、神経回路操作や介入に関する知見を提供でき、臨床面においても実用的であるといえる。