Brain mechanism of imitation by joint attention

2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22700445
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Fusional social brain science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University (2011-2012); Juntendo University (2010)
• Principal Investigator: KUMASHIRO Mari 東京医科歯科大学, 歯学部, 非常勤講師 (40462791)
• Project Period (FY): 2010 – 2012
• Keywords: 共同注意 / 模倣 / サル / コミュニケーション / 脳神経活動 / 脳波

Research Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to set up the conditions that would enable to examine brain mechanism of imitation induced by joint attention. There were five reports. First, I refined multisite electrode sheets for electrocorticography (Ecog). Second, I found that tension of monkey’s arm rigidity could be reduced by an application of joint attention method I developed in 2002. Third, I found three conditions that help examining brain mechanism of imitation induced by joint attention. Fourth, I found that food reward is not necessary to induce monkey’s imitation of mouth. Fifth, I developed a combination training method to correct wrong imitation. With these achievements, it is ready to actually analyze brain mechanism of imitation.*my childbirth, child raising and this work without pay had caused delays in the present study, but I reported five results.