近年，認知神経科学と呼ばれる領域の発展が目覚ましい。こうした動向を受け，はじめに顔の認知にかかわる神経科学的なモデルを紹介し，顔表情の認識にかかわる紡錘状回および扁桃体の機能について押さえるべき基礎知見を概観する。後半部分では，認知神経科学の新たな方法論として注目されているジュノミック・イメージング，あるいはイメージング・ジェノミクスと呼ばれる新しい研究アプローチを紹介し，これが顔や感情の認識・制御に関わる研究テーマに寄与しうるところを論ずる。%Brain functional imaging studies in humans have presented that face processing related to face recognition and memory in several areas is modulated by the affective significance of faces, although past models in cognitive psychology have often considered that facial expression and facial identity are processed along two separate pathways. This article shows neural networks for the processing emotions that affect facial recognition involves amygdala and frontal regions. These findings are also discussed in relation to the function of serotonin, which is one of the important neurotransmitters affecting emotional processing, and autism that shows the social deficit. It was also propose that psychological and brain function imaging studies with concurrent biochemical and pharmacological measurement appear to be quite useful in clarifying the relationships between emotion, brain and gene functions.
展开▼
