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Resonance Imaging (fMRI) on humans. First, they studied the behavior of subjects as they played a game by making predictions about the others behavior based on the knowledge of others and their decisions. Then they generated a computer model of the simulation process to examine the brain signals underlying the prediction of the others behavior. The authors found that humans simulate the decisions of other people using two brain signals encoded in the prefrontal cortex, an area responsible for higher cognition (Figure 1). One signal involves the estimated value of the reward to the other person, and is called the reward signal, referring to the difference between the others values, simulated in ones mind, and the reward benefit that the other actually received. The other signal is called the action signal, relating to the others expected action predicted by the simulation process in ones mind, and what the other person actually did, which may or may not be different. They found that the reward signal is processed in a part of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The action signal, on the other hand, was found in a separate brain area called the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Every day, we interact with a variety of other individuals, Suzuki said. Some may share similar values with us and for those interactions simulation using the reward signal alone may suffice. However, other people with different values may be quite different and then the action signal may become quite important. Nakahara believes that their approach, using mathematical models based on human behavior with brain imaging, will be useful to answer a wide range of questions about the social functions employed by the brain. Perhaps we may one day better understand how and why humans have the ability to predict others behavior, even those with different characteristics. Ultimately, this knowledge could help improving political, educational, and social systems in human societies.
For more information, please contact: Hiroyuki Nakahara Laboratory for Integrated Theoretical Neuroscience RIKEN Brain Science Institute Mariko Irie Brain Science Promotion Division RIKEN Brain Science Institute Tel: +81-(0)48-467-9757 / Fax: +81-(0)48-462-4914 Email: pr@brain.riken.jp
Global Relations Office RIKEN Tel: +81-(0)48-462-1225 / Fax: +81-(0)48-463-3687 Email: koho@riken.jp Reach us on Twitter: @rikenresearch The authors have experience with media relations and are available to provide further information and interviews on the study.
Reference Shinsuke Suzuki, Norihiro Harasawa, Kenichi Ueno, Justin L Gardner, Noritaka Ichinohe, Masahiko Haruno, Kang Cheng, Hiroyuki Nakahara. "Learning to simulate others decisions." Neuron, 2012, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.04.030 Funding KAKENHI grants 21300129 and 20020034 to H. Nakahara.
About RIKEN RIKEN is Japans flagship research institute devoted to basic and applied research. Over 2500 papers by RIKEN researchers are published every year in reputable scientific and technical journals, covering topics ranging across a broad spectrum of disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, medical science and engineering. RIKENs advanced research environment and strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration has earned itself an unparalleled reputation for scientific excellence in Japan and around the world. About the RIKEN Brain Science Institute The RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) was established as an institute at RIKEN in October, 1997 to answer a growing need in society for cutting-edge brain science research. Since its establishment, BSI has attracted promising scientists domestically and internationally and brought together diverse research and human resources, and today enjoys an international reputation as an innovative center for brain science. Research at BSI integrates a wide range of disciplines including medicine, biology, physics, technology, information science, mathematical science, and psychology. BSIs research objectives cover individual organisms, behavior, microscopic molecular structures of the brain, neurons, neurocircuits, cognition, memory, learning, language acquisition, and robotics.
Figure 1 Neural activity for the simulation of another person: Reward Signal (red) and Action Signal (green). The action signal shown in this figure (green) is in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. The activity of reward signal (red) largely overlaps with the activity of the signal for the self-valuation (blue) in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.