Neural basis of inner thought dynamics and enhancement of daily thinking processes

• Project/Area Number: 26330171
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Nozawa Takayuki 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 助教 (60370110)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): IKEDA Shigeyuki 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 助教 (30754353)
• Research Collaborator: SASAKI YUKAKO
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
• Keywords: 脳・神経 / 思考 / 注意 / 情動 / 揺らぎダイナミクス / fMRI / fNIRS / コミュニケーション / 揺らぎ / ニューロフィードバック / 持続的注意 / NIRS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aimed to clarify the neural mechanisms of dynamic inner thoughts fluctuating in multiple dimensions, such as attention focus, emotional valence, and diversity. Furthermore, the project also aimed to extend the obtained results to our daily thinking activities, and to establish methodological bases for evaluating and facilitating individual and group thinking processes. The succession of studies pursuing this purpose achieved the following results: (1) we identified neural dynamics reflecting concentration to and contents of inner thoughts; (2) we identified neural dynamics predicting switches or continuation of positive/negative thoughts; (3) we discovered spatiotemporally heterogeneous contribution of functional connectivity dynamics to the diversity of thoughts; (4) we established potential usefulness of fNIRS hyperscanning and interpersonal neural synchronization in qualitatively evaluating real-life communications.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] University of Ottawa(Canada)
• [Int'l Joint Research] University of Ottawa(Canada)
• [Journal Article] Steady beat sound facilitates both coordinated group walking and inter-subject neural synchrony (2017)
  • Author(s): Ikeda S, Nozawa T, Yokoyama R, Miyazaki A, Sasaki Y, Sakaki K, Kawashima R
  • Journal Title: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Volume: 11
  • DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00147
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] "Interpersonal frontopolar neural synchronization in group communication: an exploration toward fNIRS hyperscanning of natural interactions" (2016)
  • Author(s): Nozawa, T., Sasaki, Y., Sakaki, K., Yokoyama, R., Kawashima, R.
  • Journal Title: NeuroImage Volume: 133C Pages: 484-497
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.059
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 身体リズム同調が教授・学習と脳活動同調に与える影響 (2016)
  • Author(s): 野澤孝之, 榊浩平, 山崎 翔平，河田サントスケルシ人美，河田サントスナタシャ百合子，佐々木 結咲子，池田 純起，クラソン・ケイ，平野 香南，ジョンヒョンジョン，川島 隆太
  • Organizer: 第17回計測自動制御学会システムインテグレーション部門講演会(SI2016)
  • Place of Presentation: 札幌コンベンションセンター（北海道）
  • Year and Date: 2016-12-15
• [Presentation] Neural bases of fluctuations between positive and negative thoughts (2016)
  • Author(s): Nozawa T, Sasaki Y, Yokoyama R, Sakaki K, Kawashima R
  • Organizer: Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM2016)
  • Place of Presentation: Geneva (Switzerland)
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-26
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] The neural mechanism of dialectical problem solving: an fMRI study (2016)
  • Author(s): Sasaki Y, Nozawa T, Kawata K H, Ikeda S, Sakaki K, Kikuchi T, Kawashima R
  • Organizer: Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM2016)
  • Place of Presentation: Geneva (Switzerland)
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-26
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Effects of participation and expertise on contextual meaning acquisition (2016)
  • Author(s): Umezawa S, Nozawa T, Ikeda S, Jeong H, Sasaki Y, Nejad K, Sakaki K, Tanaka M, Tanifuji S, Chiba N, Kawashima R
  • Organizer: Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM2016)
  • Place of Presentation: Geneva (Switzerland)
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-26
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 英語授業における脳活動同調評価の試み (2015)
  • Author(s): 野澤孝之, 山本玲子, 石川保茂, ジョンヒョンジョン, 池田純起, 榊浩平, 川島隆太
  • Organizer: 第16回計測自動制御学会システムインテグレーション部門講演会(SI2015)
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋国際会議場（愛知県）
  • Year and Date: 2015-12-14
• [Presentation] Neural basis of the dynamic decoupling and re-coupling of attention to internal and external targets (2015)
  • Author(s): Nozawa T, Sasaki Y, Yokoyama R, Sakaki K, Kawashima R
  • Organizer: Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM2015)
  • Place of Presentation: Honolulu, Hawaii (USA)
  • Year and Date: 2015-06-14 – 2015-06-18
• [Presentation] Neural basis of the dynamic decoupling and re-coupling of attention to internal and external targets (2015)
  • Author(s): Nozawa T, Sasaki Y, Yokoyama R, Sakaki K, Kawashima R
  • Organizer: The 21st Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM2015)
  • Place of Presentation: Honolulu, Hawaii, US
  • Year and Date: 2015-06-14
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] コミュニケーションと集団脳活動同調 (2014)
  • Author(s): 野澤孝之, 川島隆太
  • Organizer: 計測自動制御学会システム・情報部門学術講演会(SSI2014)
  • Place of Presentation: 岡山大学（岡山県）
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-21 – 2014-11-23