Life-span development and neural plasticity of embodied cognition

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25245068
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: SEKIYAMA Kaoru 熊本大学, 文学部, 教授 (70216539)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 森 周司 九州大学, システム情報科学研究院, 教授 (10239600) ; 樋口 貴広 首都大学東京, 人間健康科学研究科, 教授 (30433171) ; 寺本 渉 熊本大学, 文学部, 准教授 (30509089) ; 山田 実 筑波大学, 人間総合科学研究科, 准教授 (30525572) ; 池田 学 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 教授 (60284395)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OTSUKA YUKI 京都大学, こころの未来研究センター, 研究員 (60456811) ; HIDA KATSUKO 国際医療福祉大学, 准教授 (60208767)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 認知と運動 / 視触覚間干渉課題 / 視覚ワーキングメモリ / 運動介入

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to obtain useful knowledge about how bodily activities help prevent the cognitive decline in old ages. (1) Multisensory integration between visual and tactile information (the extent of peripersonal space) was enhanced in older adults, and those with poorer motor function showed more extended peripersonal space. (2)In brain activation data for visual working memory, older adults with poorer gait control showed increased prefrontal activities and decreased subcortical activities. (3) The effects of 3-month multitask exercise (cognitive + physical) was examined as a randomized control trial. Brain activation data revealed a decreased activation in the prefrontal cortex only for the exercise group. This intervention effect was consistent with the cross-sectional results mentioned above.

Free Research Field

実験心理学、認知神経科学、加齢認知心理学