Neural mechanisms of randomness judgment

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560325
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University (2015-2016); Yamaguchi University (2014)
• Principal Investigator: MIYAZAKI Makoto 静岡大学, 情報学部, 教授 (30392202)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 門田 宏 高知工科大学, 情報学群, 准教授 (00415366) ; 山田 祐樹 九州大学, 基幹教育院, 准教授 (60637700) ; 岩田 誠 高知工科大学, 情報学群, 教授 (60232683)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KOCHIYAMA Takanori 株式会社国際電気通信基礎技術研究所, 脳情報通信総合研究所, 研究員 (90380146)
• Research Collaborator: FUNAI Tomomi (D. Tomomi) 山口大学, 時間学研究所, 研究補佐員 ; FUJIMURA Hayate 静岡大学, 情報学部, 4年生 ; MIYAGI Takuya 静岡大学, 情報学部, 4年生 ; TAKEUCHI Shigeki 上武大学, ビジネス情報学部, 准教授 (10329162) ; SEKIGUCHI Hirofumi 上武大学, ビジネス情報学部, 教授 (20392201) ; KURODA Tsuyoshi 静岡大学, 情報学部, 特任助教 (50725950)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ランダムネス判断 / 脳 / 機能的磁気共鳴画像法 / 心理物理学的測定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A negative after-effect occurs in the perception of visual pattern randomness (Yamada, Kawabe, & Miyazaki. 2013). The psychophysical properties of the aftereffect predicted that the lateral occipital complex (LOC) is involved in the perceptual judgments of visual pattern randomness. In this study, we aimed to identify the neural basis of randomness judgment. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that the LOC was activated in association with randomness judgment, which was consistent with our hypothesis. In addition, the parietal-frontal areas were also activated during randomness judgment. We then tested the functional coupling among the brain areas associated with randomness judgment. The results suggested that the visuo-tactile multimodal network is involved in the judgment of visual pattern randomness.

Free Research Field

身体教育学 (脳高次機能学)，認知神経科学，心理物理学