A longitudinal study on infants' face perception by near-infrared spectroscopy

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500334
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Osaka Shoin Women's University
• Principal Investigator: NAKATO Emi 大阪樟蔭女子大学, 学芸学部, 講師 (30509211)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 顔認知 / 乳児 / NIRS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study was a longitudinal investigation of the neural responses in infants aged from 3 to 8 months using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
The result in the presentation of the frontal view showed that the number of the activated channels increased in the right temporal cortex than in the left temporal in all age groups. In addition, the activated channels were mainly located at the posterior and the inferior regions in the right temporal cortex for all age groups. These findings suggest the dominance of the right temporal cortex for face perception would emerge in infants as young as 3 months old. Our longitudinal data implies that the superiority to the neural responses in the right temporal cortex for face perception would develop at an early age during infancy.

Free Research Field

発達認知科学