Takuya Sasaki

Brain integration of interoceptive information through the vagal afferents

Grant No.：JPMJCR21P1

Research Director

Takuya Sasaki

Collaborator

Yusaku Iwasaki	Professor Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University
Hideki Ohira	Professor Graduate School of Informatics Nagoya University

Outline

The brain integrates interceptive information. The vagal afferents play a crucial role in information transter from the periphral organs to the brain. This project aims to understand how the vagal afferents convert multiple periphral organ activity into interoceptive information and transfer and integrate such information into the brain, and how these body-brain signals contribute to diverse brain functions such as emotion and decision making in mice and humans.

Takao Someya

Electronic skin to unveil Yuragi mechanism of biological signals

Grant No.：JPMJCR21P2

Research Director

Takao Someya

Collaborator

Masayuki Amagai

Professor School of Medicine Keio University

Outline

We aim to establish a technology for manufacturing an electronic skin system to simultaneously measure multiple biological signals throughout the body, enabling highly accurate and long term continuous measurement during daily activities. Signals obtained by continuous measurement from the surface of skin will be used as bio-alternative data and analyzed using AI algorithms to discover its medical significance. Early detection of transition from normal to pathological Yuragi will build a base for application to preventive medicine.

Akiyuki Taruno

Elucidation of the multi-sensing network underlying body fluid homeostasis

Grant No.：JPMJCR21P3

Research Director

Akiyuki Taruno

Collaborator

Yasushi Okazaki	Team Leader Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Riken
Hideaki Kato	Professor Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology The University of Tokyo

Outline

The palatability of salt causes excess salt consumption in humans, which leads to hypertension and associated cardiovascular diseases. This project contributes to healthy longevity by creating a scientific basis of technological innovation for salt reduction. Critically salt and water preferences are contrastingly altered by changes in body fluid balance. Through data-driven research combining state-of-the-art technologies－large-scale multiomics, advanced multicolor optogenetics, and activity recordings－we will elucidate the neural basis that integrates taste and body hydration and ultimately controls salt and water consumption. The detailed understanding of salt perception will reveal novel targets for the reduction of dietary salt intake.

Yukie Nagai

Cognitive Feelings that Mediate Between Perception and Emotion

Grant No.：JPMJCR21P4

Research Director

Yukie Nagai

Collaborator

Shinichiro Kumagaya	Professor Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology The University of Tokyo
Keisuke Suzuki	Associate Professor Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience Hokkaido University
Yuichi Yamashita	Section Chief National Institute of Neuroscience National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry

Outline

This project aims to elucidate the principle of cognitive feelings based on predictive processing as a unified brain theory. Cognitive feelings include senses of knowing, confidence, reality, fluency, etc. about perceptual experiences. We hypothesize that perception and emotion about the perception are mediated by cognitive feelings. This project will provide a deeper and novel understanding of multi-sensing systems with cognitive feelings by integrating synthetic and analytic approaches.

Takashi Hanakawa

Investigation of human somatosensory network systems by means of hapticsmesh and cerebro-spinal neuroimaging

Grant No.：JPMJCR21P5

Research Director

Takashi Hanakawa

Collaborator

Mitsunari Abe	Director Integrative Brain Imaging Center National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
Yusuke Takei	Team Leader Sensing System Research Center National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Hiroki Yamamoto	Assistant Professor Graduate School of Human & Environmental Studies Kyoto University

Outline

We will develop a device termed “hapticsmesh” based on a flexible array of ultra-thin vibrating elements and run a psychophysical experiment to evaluate the tactile sensation produced by the hapticsmesh. We will then measure cerebro-spinal activity the somatosensory networks in humans receiving the tactile sensation alone or in combination with other types of stimuli. To help the interpretation of this measurement, we will create a probabilistic map of the somatosensory networks in the brainstem. In the somatosensory cortex, we will try to measure cortical layer-specific activity related to tactile perception. Eventually we will try to open a new venue of tactile study by developing a multi-sensory augmented reality system.