Elucidation of Mechanisms Underlying Brain Development and Learning

Outline

This field of research strives to elucidate healthy and vitality-filled brain development and growth, and the mechanisms by which these are supported from a new perspective that fuses the ideas of brain nurturing and the promotion of life-long human learning with relevant social aspects. In response to the old question of how the complex brain is formed from a single fertilized egg, and how it comes to exhibit its high-level functions, recent brain research has considerably elucidated the initial genetic information mechanisms, and, in addition, how environmental input and activity of the brain itself causes the neural networks formed by these mechanisms to undergo subtle transformation. It also suggests that this activity-dependent transformation mechanism and the learning mechanism share commonality. While this type of knowledge has been primarily obtained from experimental animals, recently, the development of noninvasive measurement techniques for human cerebral function has allowed research into human brain function development and input-dependent transformation, and has improved prospects that human development and learning mechanisms may be further elucidated. From a starting point that recognizes this current situation, this field of research explains the development mechanisms of high-level brain function (such as characteristic human language development) that plays a part in human learning (including sensory, motive, recognition, and behavioral systems), and, in addition, seeks to elucidate the function recovery mechanisms from mind and nerve damage.We are also using animal experiments to advance research into the plasticity of neural networks in the developing brain that forms the basis for such mechanisms, and are investigating the applicability of this knowledge to human beings. In addition to specific techniques, we are combining varieties of techniques in pluralistic fashion and promoting research from a systems perspective. By promoting creative and leading-edge research into brain function development and learning mechanisms, we are striving to offer solutions to the variety issues associated with education and life-long learning, and to return the fruits of this research to society.

Strategic Sector

Elucidation of a Human Life-Long Learning Mechanism Based on the Knowledge of Brain Science with an Intention to Provide a Solution to the Problems in Education

Research Projects

Research Area Website

http://www.brain-l.crest.jst.go.jp/english/index.htm