Establishment of a magnetoencephalographic method to estimate verbal memory

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K07260
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51020:Cognitive and brain science-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Araki Toshihiko 大阪大学, 医学部附属病院, 技術職員 (20755277)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 言語記憶力 / 脳磁図 / 脳活動 / てんかん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we sought to establish a method for testing language memory using magnetoencephalography (MEG) by examining the relationship between brain activity during language tasks and verbal memory scores in patients with epilepsy. Although no significant correlation was found across all frequency bands, a relatively strong negative correlation was observed between the power of brain activity in the α band in the left hemisphere, occurring 0.5 seconds after the presentation of the language task, and the verbal memory scores. This finding is consistent with the brain regions where a significant negative correlation was previously found in healthy adults, suggesting that, in patients with epilepsy, brain activity in the α band in the same brain regions is related to verbal memory capacity.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

先行研究で健常者において認められた脳活動と言語性記憶力との相関が、本研究では認知機能の低下したと想定されるてんかん患者でも同様の相関がみられることが示唆された。これにより、脳磁図を用いて脳活動から言語性記憶力を推定する臨床検査法の確立につながるものと期待され、今後、てんかん患者だけでなく認知症など様々な疾患群にて同様の検討をすることで、脳磁図による簡便で患者に負担の少ない言語性記憶力検査法の開発に寄与すると考えられる。