Proposed Research Projects

Second Period (2016 - 2017)

Subject A01: Comparative cognitive research on the Empathetic Systems

Kazuo Okanoya Professor, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, The Univ. of Tokyo	"Search for empathetic mirror neurons in birds and rodents" We aim to find empathetic mirror neurons in birds and rodents. We use communicative sound as stimuli. In rats, 50 kHz calls are emitted with positive emotion, and 22 kHz calls for negative emotion. In Java sparrows, affiliative context is associated with soft calls while loud calls are emitted in agnostic context. “Cognitive bias task” will be utilized to measure emotional contagion and neural responses in these animals.
Kazuo Hiraki Professor, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, The Univ. of Tokyo	"Can Infant Actively Help Others?" Our project will pursue the developmental origin of pro-social behaviors by using high-tech devices-digital pacifier and motion capture system. These devices do not require any complex movement. Especially, the digital pacifier which dose not require any limb movement has been already tested and verified its usability for young infants. We will design a new experimental paradigm to investigate very young infants's helping behavior and clarify the origin of human pro-social behaviors.
Yuko Hattori Assistant Professor, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University	"Evolutionary origins of uniquely human communication underlying empathic system" Humans actively use behavioral synchrony such as dancing and singing when they intend to make affiliative relationships. A foundation for this tendency may be an evolutionary adaptation for group living but evolutionary origins of human synchronous activity is unclear. This project aims to explore evolutionary origins of such uniquely human communication underlying empathic system by directly comparing chimpanzees and humans.
Chihiro Yokoyama Researcher, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies	"Molecular neuroimaging of cooperative brain in common marmosets" We investigate proactive other-caring behavior displayed in marmoset monkeys. Our preliminary results indicate that marmosets have human-like altruism trait, and PET neuroimaging suggest serotonergic system is related with this behavior. In this study, we conduct extensive behavior evaluation and high-resolution molecular neuroimaging (MRI, PET) for further exploration of marmoset sociality, in order to understand its biological background as an evolutionary origin of human “empathy”.

Subject B01: Evolutionary Models of the Empathetic Systems

Akiko Koto

Senior Researcher, Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST)

"Study of neuronal mechanisms regulating the social behavior in ants"
Social insects, in particular ants, live in the complex social organization. They develop the social behavior that can be flexibly modified depending on the social environment to maximize their fitness. We focus on the inotocin signaling, the homologue of oxytocin/vasopressin signaling in mammals. To understand the evolutional origin of social behavior, we aim to study its function in the regulation of their complex social behaviors.

Subject C01: Neural and molecular basis of the Empathetic Systems

Takayuki Yoshida Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University	"study to elucidate the neural basis of empathy transformation due to stress" Excessive stresses received in early life are associated with an increased risk of psychiatric diseases in adulthood. In this research, we evaluate the mouse freezing behavior and social behavior as an empathy-like behavior by the emotional contagion, and study to elucidate the neural basis of empathy transformation due to stress and the change of serotonin-related molecules by electrophysiological and optogenetical techniques.
Katsuhiko Nishimori Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University	"Study of Empathy, using oxtr gene KO Prairie Vole, newly generated by gene editing technology" Empathic behaviors in mankind are now suspected to depend on the central oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) system. On the other hand, the relationship between genetic bases of mice empathy and their oxt and oxtr genes are still not clear. Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster), a wild rodent ranging in Northern America, is now widely known with their highly social behaviors. Recently, behavior-testing protocol was developed for empathy of Prairie Vole. We will try to analyze the genetic bases and neural circuitry regulating empathic behaviors of Prairie Vole, using gene-engineered (oxtr KO) Prairie Vole, a new experimental resource, which we newly developed.
Hiroki Tanabe Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University	"Neural mechanisms of empathy from two-person/inter-subjective perspective: MRI hyper-scanning study" In the daily empathetic situations, we often have a two-person perspective (“I” and “you” as a specific real target) during the communication. The purpose of this project is to investigate neural mechanisms of empathy from two-person/inter-subjective perspective. To tackle this issue, we employ a functional MRI hyperscanning, which enable us to record brain activity from real interactive two persons simultaneously. We focus the difference of synchronous neural activity or neural mechanism between before, during, and after sharing empathy though communication.
Ayumu Inutsuka Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University	"The role of synchronized neuronal activity in empathy" Neuropeptides expressed in the hypothalamus affect various social behaviors of animals. Oxytocin has been implicated in social behaviors such as mother-infant attachment and pair-bonding. Our group investigates the role of synchronized activity of oxytocin neurons in social bonding by using fiber photometry. We also hope that we can collaborate with other groups by providing virus vectors.
Nobuya Sato Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University	"Compound approach toward neural mechanisms of helping behavior" The purposes of this study are to examine the neural mechanism of the prosocial behavior using an experimental paradigm developed in our laboratory. We try to manifest the neural mechanisms of helping behavior in rats using various techniques such as recording and operating neural activity and measuring neurotransmitter levels.
Tsuyoshi Koide Associate Professor, Unit for Experimental Animal Care, National Institute of Genetics	"Studies on genes related to emotional contagion and its evolutional role" It is known that there is individual differences of empathy in humans. Even though association of genetic factors on the difference of empathy is expected, there is few study trying to clarify the genetic factors. Previously, we found that one of wild mouse strains exhibits higher level of emotional contagion for the fear response exhibited by neighboring mouse than a laboratory strain. In this project, we are trying to identify genes related to the emotional contagion in mice. Based on the data of genes, we will also characterize how animals develop emotional contagion during the evolution.
Susumu Yokota Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University	"The neural basis of deception in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" Deception is related to the ability to engage in mental tasks such as anticipating responses and inferring what another person knows, especially in social contexts. Among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), failure of social communication and empathizing with other’s affective state are some of core deficits. Therefore, children with ASD have shown difficulties deceiving others. The purpose of this study is to examine neural basis of deceptive behavior in children with ASD using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Yoshito Masamizu Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo	"Two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal populations in non-human primates during prosocial behavior" In prosocial behavior, individuals spontaneously give benefits to others, without direct rewards. Recently, some researchers have revealed that non-human primates, common marmosets, can also show prosocial behaviors. In this study, we perform two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal populations in common marmosets during prosocial behavior to reveal the neural mechanisms underlying of prosocial behaviors.

First Period (2014 - 2015)

Subject A01: Comparative cognitive research on the Empathetic Systems

Kazuo Hiraki Professor, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, The Univ. of Tokyo	"Development of prosocial behavior on the basis of contingency detection" Our project will pursue the developmental origin of the sympathy by creating a new device -digital pacifier- that does not require any limb movement. The device can be used not only for investigating infant’s spontaneous sucking behaviors. It is compact and wirelessly connected to a computer, and enable infants to manipulate digital entities such as visual object and sounds. In contrast to previous infant study that presents stimuli in one-way manner, we will focus on the mutual interaction between mother and infant. Constructing a new method with this digital pacifier, we will expect a new finding in mother-infant relationship.
Hisashi Nakao Assistant Professor, Faculty of Global and Science Studies, Yamaguchi University	"Philosophical and ethical considerations on empirical studies of empathy" This research has two aims. (1) I analyze the concept of empathy used in empirical research on empathy, and critically examine its research framework. (2) Based on such empirical research on empathy, I critically examine the arguments developed in moral philosophy and ethics on empathy.
Shinya Yamamoto Associate Professor, School of International Cultural Studies, Kobe University	"How empathy works for prosocial behavior?: comparative cognitive studies with chimpanzees and bonobos" I'm studying the evolution of social intelligence in humans and non-human animals, developing a two-by-two research paradigm: experiments and fieldwork with chimpanzees and bonobos. Based on my previous work, I proposed a hypothesis that chimpanzees help others upon request, but not proactively, even when they understand others' goals. In this project, I would like to investigate further from viewpoints of comparative cognitive science how empathy works as a driving mechanism of cooperation.
Masanori Kohda Professor, Graduate School of Science Biology and Geosciences, Osaka City University	"Cognitive empathy and its relevant cognition in fish and the origin of social cognition in vertebrates" We study cognition of social fishes through field observations and aquarium experiments. We believe firmly that “social cognitive ability of fish is much more higher than previously assumed”. We find such cognition in fish, e.g. transitive inference, facial recognition, mirror self-recognition, and further will try to study empathy and tactical deception. Brain structure is likely to be largely homologous between fish, birds and mammals, and we are interested in the origin of social cognitive ability in vertebrates.
Chihiro Yokoyama Researcher, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies	"Molecular mechanisms and functional neural network underlying prosocial behavior in common marmosets" We investigate the molecular mechanisms and functional neural network underlying prosocial behavior based on “empathy” using the common marmosets, a primate species having cooperative sociality in nature. To combine the functional neuroimaging by the positron emission tomography (PET) with other invasive methodology in animal experiments realizes the causality approach to “empathy”, providing the reliable biological grounds regarding human results.
Makiko Yamada Assistant Director, Molecular Neuroimaging Program, Clinical Neuroimaging Team, National Institute of Radiological Sciences	"Neural and molecular mechanisms of ambivalent empathy for pain." Viewing others in pain triggers empathic pain responses in the observer, which will prompt prosocial behavioral responses for the target. However, pain itself also signals a potential threat and urges observers to escape its source. Thus, avoidance from the threat value of pain seems to conflict with the emergence of empathic concern, a motivation to approach toward the other. The current project explores how this approach/avoidance conflict is resolved to guide prosocial behavior, and its neural and molecular mechanisms using fMRI and PET imaging.

Subject B01: Evolutionary Models of the Empathetic Systems

Akiko Koto

Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Kentaro Katahira

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University

"Investigation of the function of emotional contagion using combined approaches of computational modeling and animal behavioral experiments"
Emotional contagion is a phenomenon that occurs even in non-human animals. It is considered to be an evolutionary precursor of empathy. However, it is unknown how emotional contagion influences animal behavior and whether if the transmitted emotion has the same function with the originally evoked emotion. Our group aims to clarify the effect of emotional contagion on animal behavior with behavioral experiments on rats and computational model-based behavior analysis.

Tadashi Nomura

Associate Professor, Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

"Exploring the origin of the empathetic systems by evo-devo approaches"
The Empathetic Systems have evolved independently in various animals with highly complex social behaviors. However, the origin of responsible neural circuits for the systems has not been identified. Here we introduce Experimental Evo-Devo approaches to tackle this issue, and explore changes in developmental programs that provided neural bases for the Empathetic Systems during amniote evolution.

Subject C01: Neural and molecular basis of the Empathetic Systems

Yasuyuki Taki Professor, Dept. of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University	"Relationship between brain structure and empathy in patients with autistic spectrum disorder" Our purpose is to investigate on the relationship between child brain development and genetic or environmental factors. Thus, we created database of following cross sectional and longitudinal data; brain structure, perfusion, white matter integrity, cognitive function, lifestyle, and gene. With these data, we investigated the difference of the maturation speeds of gray and white matter among several brain regions, brain perfusion, the relationship between brain structure and lifestyle, or empathy. Now we are preparing to collect aforementioned dataset from population of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Hidehiko Okazawa Director, Biomedical Imaging Research Center, Professor, Division of Medical Imaging, University of Fukui	"Brain imaging for cognitive empathy and visualization of empathetic disorders in patients" Our group investigates visualization methods for cognitive empathy in human brain using fMRI and PET molecular imaging. The most appropriate method will be applied to evaluation of empathetic failure in patients with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) by comparing the results from typically developing (TD) individuals. Changes in brain function observed in this study may provide a new method for diagnosis of ASD and other empathetic disorders as well as effective treatment methods.
Ayumu Inutsuka Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University	"Optogenetic and pharmacogenetic analysis of neural circuits regulating emotions and social behavior" Neuropeptides expressed in the hypothalamus affect various social behaviors of animals. Recently it was reported that a neuropeptide, orexin, is secreted in association with social interaction with positive emotion such as talking with friends. Our group aims to elucidate the neuronal circuits regulating social behaviors by combination of recording and manipulation of orexin neural activity. To achieve selective gene expression in specific neurons, we utilize adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. We hope that we can collaborate with other groups by providing AAV vectors and contribute to this research area.
Kazuhiro Nakamura Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University	"Elucidation of the central neural substrate for empathy and associating autonomic responses using optogenetic manipulation of oxytocin neurons" We study the role of oxytocin in the development of autonomic responses caused by empathy and motherhood by performing in vivo physiological experiments combined with a molecular biological technique to manipulate the activity of oxytocin neurons. This project will approach the central circuit mechanism that produces empathy and motherhood and their associating autonomic physiological responses.
Masahiro Matsunaga Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, School of Medicine, Aichi Medical University	"Neural and molecular mechanisms for the positive empathy associated with happiness" When we are in successful relationships with surrounding people, we often feel happiness. The happiness of surrounding people seems to spread to ourselves, and makes us happier. The present study focuses on the empathy, which perceives happiness of surrounding people, and aims to clarify its neural mechanisms by using functional MRI, and to clarify its molecular mechanisms by the comprehensive analysis of salivary physiologically active substances, such as salivary hormones and neurotransmitters.
Nobuya Sato Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University	"Neural mechanisms of helping behavior in rodents" The purposes of this study are to develop an experimental paradigm to make a prosocial behavior of rodents appear easily and to investigate the neural mechanism of the prosocial behavior at the neuronal level. We focus on the helping behavior of rodents to their cagemate in a distressed situation.