Study on social cognition based on the development of joint attention: Comparison with Williams syndrome

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pediatrics
• Research Institution: Institute for Developmental Research Aichi Developmental Disability Center
• Principal Investigator: Miho Nakamura 愛知県医療療育総合センター発達障害研究所, 障害システム研究部, 客員研究者 (70291945)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 稲垣 真澄 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 精神保健研究所 知的・発達障害研究部, 部長 (70203198)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ウィリアムズ症候群

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we tried to investigate the delay in joint attention in Williams syndrome and its mechanism, from the viewpoint of abnormalities in attention shift, especially difficulty "in disengaging attention to the face (attention release from the face)". It was designed for the purpose of examining and proposing an index of social cognitive function in human infants. However, in the process of the examination, it was difficult for each participant to "focus one’s attention to the presented visual stimulus" in the first place, before "to disengage their attention".　 We were unable to resolve this issue within the research period
For this reason, the original goal of this study could not be achieved.

Free Research Field

小児神経

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本検討が当初の目的とした成果が得られれば、ウィリアムズ症候群の知見をもとに、ヒトにおける共同注意の発達において、注意を向けること、それを外すことの観点からの知見が得られ、その発達メカニズムと言語発達における意義を明らかにできる可能性があった。残念ながら、今回の研究機関ではそれらを明らかにするに至らなかった。