細胞レベルの霊長類脳機能研究40年

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In 1966, Edward Evarts reported the neuronal activities of mortar cortex of behaving monkeys. That was the first report of the cellular level research using behaving monkeys. The Primate Research Institute (PRI) was established in Kyoto University, next year in 1967. To start a new research project in the new institute using primates, research on cellular level of brain functions, especially the functions of the frontal association cortex was selected. This topic was selected since the higher brain functions are the well-developed functions in the primates. Later, in 1970, Edward Evarts was invited to come to Japan. He stayed PRI for 4 months and brought his new techniques to PRI. Thus the cellular level of study on functions of the association corteces started using behaving monkeys in Japan. Since then, the cellular basis of the integrative brain functions, such as, perceptual decision making, emotional decision making, planning of complex behavior or complex motor control were revealed based on the analyses of the correlations of behavior and neuronal activities while monkeys are performing behavioral tasks. To investigate correlations, it was important to segregate behavioral events in the time sequence of the single task or in the multiple tasks. In addition to this, the effect of the lesion and the effect of electrical stimulation of the target brain area were helped to understand the behavioral role of the neuronal activities. Although this field of research revealed higher brain functions of monkeys in the single neuronal level, the understanding of the brain mechanisms of higher brain functions is still in the primitive phenomenal level. In future, it is necessary to reveal the role of each neuronal activity in the neural circuit of the brain.

細胞レベルの霊長類脳機能研究40年

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