Elucidating the mechanism underlying developmental brain disorders
Assoc. Prof. Yuko Yoshimura
Faculty of Education, Institute of Human and Social Sciences
Relationship between functional characteristics of autistic brain, language, and social development
Developmental disorders are said to be caused by defects in brain development. I am performing research to visualize brain functions in cases of autism, which often involves difficulties in language and communication. We work in collaboration with scientists at the Research Center of Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we record brain activity in response to the human voice and to sounds, and investigate its relationship to autism symptoms and cognitive development.
Involvement of serotonin in specific regions of the brain found in language processing of autism spectrum disorders
Although there have been reports on the relationship of various symptoms of autism spectrum disorders to a dysfunction of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, the relationship between serotonin and social vocal processing and language ability has not been clarified. Therefore, in order to investigate the social vocal processing ability of adults with autism, we asked them to listen to two types of vocal stimuli, the sound “nay”, and measured the brain activity during that time by MEG. Analyses of the relationship between the fluctuation of the amounts of serotonin in the brain and brain activity related to social speech processing and language ability showed that the serotonin system of a specific region of the brain is involved in human voice processing and language ability.
Toward a society where diverse people can live together with ease
By clarifying different brain functions of individuals and differences in the developmental processes of the brain, we hope to promote appropriate understanding and support methods for developmental disorders and thus contribute to the realization of a society where diverse people can live together with ease.
— Information about researcher
— Information about Research Center for Child Mental Development
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