Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

In our daily life, we often cooperate with or compete against other people. The aim of our research is to understand the neural computations underlying such social decision-making. To elucidate these computational and neural mechanisms, we employ a new neuroimaging method known as “model-based fMRI” that combines functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with computational modeling. In this approach, one constructs a quantitative computational model of a particular decision-making paradigm and applies this model to neuroimaging data in order to identify neural activity related to each of the specific computations in the decision-making process. We believe our studies involving model-based fMRI [1, 2, 3] can provide significant insight into understanding the neural underpinnings of social disorders such as social anxiety and autism.

[1] Suzuki S, et al. (2012) Neuron 74(6): 1125-1137

[2] Suzuki S, et al. (2015) Neuron 86(2): 591-602

[3] Suzuki S, et al. (2016) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 113(14): 3755-3760