Susumu Yokota | Tohoku University (original) (raw)

Papers by Susumu Yokota

Research paper thumbnail of Right amygdala and caudate activation patterns predict implicit attitudes toward people with autism spectrum disorders and physical disabilities, respectively

Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, Sep 18, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Mean diffusivity associated with trait emotional intelligence

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Aug 1, 2019

Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural bases of trait emotional intelligenc... more Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural bases of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) lie in the social cognition network (SCN) and the somatic marker circuitry (SMC). The current study was the first to investigate the associations of total TEI factors and subfactors with mean diffusivity (MD) of these networks as well as regional MD of the dopaminergic system (MDDS). We found that TEI intrapersonal factor score and total TEI score were negatively correlated with regional MDDS in the vicinity of the right putamen and right pallidum and that TEI intrapersonal factor score was negatively correlated with MD values of the fusiform gyrus. Total TEI score and TEI factor scores were positively correlated with MD values of various areas within or adjacent to SCN components, SMC structures and the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC). Our MD findings demonstrated the importance of the dopaminergic system to TEI and implicate the SCN, SMC and LPFC in TEI. Future studies are required to investigate the implications of positive and negative associations with MD values.

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of Television Viewing on Brain Structures: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses

Cerebral Cortex, Nov 20, 2013

Television (TV) viewing is known to affect children's verbal abilities and other physical, cognit... more Television (TV) viewing is known to affect children's verbal abilities and other physical, cognitive, and emotional development in psychological studies. However, the brain structural development associated with TV viewing has never been investigated. Here we examined cross-sectional correlations between the duration of TV viewing and regional gray/white matter volume (rGMV/rWMV) among 133 boys and 143 girls as well as correlations between the duration of TV viewing and longitudinal changes that occurred a few years later among 111 boys and 105 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV of the frontopolar and medial prefrontal areas in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV/rWMV of areas of the visual cortex in cross-sectional analyses, and positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV of the hypothalamus/septum and sensorimotor areas in longitudinal analyses. We also confirmed negative effects of TV viewing on verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in crosssectional and longitudinal analyses. These anatomical correlates may be linked to previously known effects of TV viewing on verbal competence, aggression, and physical activity. In particular, the present results showed effects of TV viewing on the frontopolar area of the brain, which has been associated with intellectual abilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Academic achievements and brain volume development in children and adolescents

Cerebral cortex communications, Oct 1, 2022

Children are expected to acquire both basic and numeric skills. Achievement of higher levels of r... more Children are expected to acquire both basic and numeric skills. Achievement of higher levels of reading, writing, arithmetic, and vocabulary are favorable and desirable. The relationship between each literacy skill and neural development has been investigated; however, association between brain development and the 4 literacy skills has not been examined. This longitudinal, structural, neuroimaging study explored the contribution of higher academic achievement in reading, writing, arithmetic, and vocabulary to neural development. The brain volumes of children and adolescents aged 9–16 years were measured in the first test. Approximately 2.6 years later, the brain volumes and 4 academic achievement scores of 77 participants were measured in the second test. Changes in the gray matter volume in the left fusiform gyrus were associated with vocabulary scores, whereas those in the left striatum were associated with arithmetic scores. The reading and writing scores showed no statistically significant relationship with changes in brain volume. The current vocabulary score correlated with current gray matter volume, while brain volumes in the first test showed no association with any achievement scores. These results suggest that academic achievement may modulate brain plasticity in various ways.

Research paper thumbnail of Individual differences in cognitive performance and brain structure in typically developing children

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Aug 1, 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual differences in c... more The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual differences in cognition and asymmetric patterns of cortical arousal in normal right-handed adults. Leftward asymm etry on a chimeric faces task was correlated with the ability to recognise faces and facial expression, and certain aspects of social skill. The correlation with face and emotional expression recognition was significant only for subjects who reported using a non-verbal strategy. These results further support the role of the right hemisphere in various aspects of social cognition, but also point to the need to consider individual differences in strategies em ployed during task performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic functional connectivity associated with prospective memory success in children

Research paper thumbnail of Brain Anatomy Alterations and Mental Health Challenges Correlate to Email Addiction Tendency

Brain Sciences

Despite the widespread use of email, our knowledge regarding the consequences of email addiction ... more Despite the widespread use of email, our knowledge regarding the consequences of email addiction is lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop an email addiction tendency scale to evaluate its correlation to behavior and brain structure. Following this, the validity and reliability of the developed scale was investigated. We used voxel-based morphometry, correlation, and univariate regression analysis to assess the relationships between email addiction tendency scores and regional gray and white matter volumes, depression, and nonverbal reasoning abilities in a large sample of healthy young adults (n = 1152; mean age, 20.69 ± 1.84 years). The content validity ratio, content validity index, principal component analysis, and confirmatory factorial analysis all showed that the email addiction tendency scale (EATS) has high validity. Additionally, the Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency and split-half reliability coefficient showed that the EATS has high reliability. We found t...

Research paper thumbnail of Loneliness inside of the brain: evidence from a large dataset of resting-state fMRI in young adult

Scientific Reports

Although loneliness itself is a natural emotion, prolonged loneliness is detrimental to human hea... more Although loneliness itself is a natural emotion, prolonged loneliness is detrimental to human health. Despite its detrimental effect, few loneliness-related neuroimaging studies have been published and some have limitations on the sample size number. This study aims to find the difference in resting-state functional connectivity associated with loneliness within a big sample size via the seed-based approach. Functional connectivity analysis was performed on a large cohort of young adults (N = 1336) using the seed-based functional connectivity approach to address the concern from previous studies. The analysis yielded statistically significant positive correlations between loneliness and functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus, and superior parietal lobule. Additionally, the analysis replicated a finding from a previous study, which is increased functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplem...

Research paper thumbnail of Neural mechanism of prospective intention holding in children

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of videogame play on the brain’s microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

Molecular Psychiatry, 2016

Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. Howev... more Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. However, the effects of VGP on the development of microstructural properties in children, particularly those associated with negative psychological consequences of VGP, have not been identified to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue through cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective analyses. In the present study of humans, we used the diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity (MD) measurement to measure microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional correlations with the amount of VGP in 114 boys and 126 girls. We also assessed correlations between the amount of VGP and longitudinal changes in MD that developed after 3.0 ± 0.3 (s.d.) years in 95 boys and 94 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found that the amount of VGP was associated with increased MD in the left middle, inferior and orbital frontal cortex; left pallidum; left putamen; left hippocampus; left caudate; right putamen; right insula; and thalamus in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Regardless of intelligence quotient type, higher MD in the areas of the left thalamus, left hippocampus, left putamen, left insula and left Heschl gyrus was associated with lower intelligence. We also confirmed an association between the amount of VGP and decreased verbal intelligence in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. In conclusion, increased VGP is directly or indirectly associated with delayed development of the microstructure in extensive brain regions and verbal intelligence.

Research paper thumbnail of Less Negative Implicit Attitudes Toward Autism Spectrum Disorder in University Students: A Comparison with Physical Disabilities

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stigmatization rooted in negative attitudes... more People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stigmatization rooted in negative attitudes or prejudice toward them due to social awkwardness. However, little is known about implicit attitudes toward ASD, especially differences in attitudes compared to those of more visible conditions; physical disabilities. In this study, we implemented implicit association tests (IATs) to assess implicit attitudes. Sixty-three university students participated in IATs and answered questionnaires that measured explicit attitudes, social desirability, knowledge about—and familiarity with—disorders. The results demonstrated that implicit attitude toward ASD was significantly less negative than toward physical disabilities. Regarding the discrepancy, not socially awkward behavior but appearance of people with ASD can be evaluated as ‘in-group’ members and lead to less negative attitude compared with physical disabilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury levels in hair are associated with reduced neurobehavioral performance and altered brain structures in young adults

Communications Biology

The detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as e... more The detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as effects of low-level exposure during early development have been established. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of mercury level on brain morphometry using advance imaging techniques in young adults. Here, utilizing hair analysis which has been advocated as a method for biological monitoring, data of regional gray matter volume (rGMV), regional white matter volume (rWMV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), cognitive functions, and depression among 920 healthy young adults in Japan, we showed that greater hair mercury levels were weakly but significantly associated with diminished cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring rapid processing (speed measures), lower depressive tendency, lower rGMV in areas of the thalamus and hippocampus, lower rWMV in widespread areas, greater FA in bilaterally distributed white matter areas overlapping...

Research paper thumbnail of Brain Structures and Activity During a Working Memory Task Associated with Internet Addiction Tendency in Young Adults

An increasing number of young people use internet excessively over the last decades, which leads ... more An increasing number of young people use internet excessively over the last decades, which leads to adverse impacts on individuals and society. The structural and functional brain characteristics associated with the excessive use of the internet have attracted substantial research attention in the past decade; however, due to the small sample sizes of past studies, many findings are inconsistent. Also, the relationship between internet addiction tendency (IAT) and regional brain activity during working memory (WM), a critical cognitive function governing learned behavior, has not been explored. In current study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and multiple regression analysis to assess the relationship between IAT score and regional gray and white matter volumes (rGMVs and rWMVs) and brain activity during a WM task in a large sample of healthy young adults (n= 1,154, mean age, 20.71 ± 1.78 years).We found a significant positive correlation between IAT score and GMV of right su...

Research paper thumbnail of Brain microstructural properties related to subjective well-being: diffusion tensor imaging analysis

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2021

Although it is known that health is not merely the absence of disease, the positive aspects of me... more Although it is known that health is not merely the absence of disease, the positive aspects of mental health have been less comprehensively researched compared with its negative aspects. Subjective well-being (SWB) is one of the indicators of positive psychology, and high SWB is considered to benefit individuals in multiple ways. However, the neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in SWB remain unclear, particularly in terms of brain microstructural properties as detected by diffusion tensor imaging. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between measurements of diffusion tensor imaging [mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy] and the degree of SWB as measured using a questionnaire. Voxel-based analysis was used to investigate the association between MD and SWB scores in healthy young adults (age, 20.7 ± 1.8 years; 695 males and 514 females). Higher levels of SWB were found to be associated with lower MD in areas surrounding the right putamen, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Shorter sleep duration and better sleep quality are associated with greater tissue density in the brain

Scientific Reports, 2018

Poor sleep quality is associated with unfavorable psychological measurements, whereas sleep durat... more Poor sleep quality is associated with unfavorable psychological measurements, whereas sleep duration has complex relationships with such measurements. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between microstructural properties of the brain and sleep duration/sleep quality in a young adult. The associations between mean diffusivity (MD), a measure of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and sleep duration/sleep quality were investigated in a study cohort of 1201 normal young adults. Positive correlations between sleep duration and MD of widespread areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the dopaminergic systems, were identified. Negative correlations between sleep quality and MD of the widespread areas of the brain, including the PFC and the right hippocampus, were also detected. Lower MD has been previously associated with more neural tissues in the brain. Further, shorter sleep duration was associated with greater persistence and executive functioning (lower Stroop interference), whereas good sleep quality was associated with states and traits relevant to positive affects. These results suggest that bad sleep quality and longer sleep duration were associated with aberrant neurocognitive measurements in the brain in healthy young adults. Sleep is an essential part of life, and the duration and quality of sleep are associated with many important variables that impact the quality of life. For example, too little or too much sleep is associated with an increased risk for the development of obesity, alcohol dependence, disease progression, and mortality,(for summary, see 1) as well as memory impairment in the elderly 2. In children, poor sleep quality and shorter sleep duration are associated with poor academic performance, although this association tends to disappear as children age 3. Short sleep duration is associated with lower cognitive performance, particularly in early childhood 4. In addition, extended sleep

Research paper thumbnail of Sex interaction of white matter microstructure and verbal IQ in corpus callosum in typically developing children and adolescents

Brain and Development

Background: Childhood is an extremely important time for neural development that has a critical r... more Background: Childhood is an extremely important time for neural development that has a critical role in human intelligence. Efficient information processing is crucial for higher intelligence, so the intra-or inter-hemispheric interaction is vital. However, the relationship between neuroanatomical connections and intelligence in typically developing children, as well as sex differences in this relationship, remains unknown. Methods: Participants were 253 typically developing children (121 boys and 132 girls) aged 5-18. We acquired diffusion tensor imaging data and intelligence using an age-appropriate version of the IQ test; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). We conducted whole-brain multiple regression analysis to investigate the association between fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects white matter microstructural properties, and each composite score of IQ test (full-scale IQ, performance IQ, and verbal IQ). Results: FA was positively correlated with full-scale IQ in bilateral inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus, genu, and splenium of corpus callosum (CC). FA in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and splenium of CC were also positively correlated with performance IQ. Furthermore, we found significant sex interaction between FA in the CC and verbal IQ. FA was positively correlated in boys, and negatively correlated in girls. Conclusion: Results suggest that efficient anatomical connectivity between parietal and frontal regions is crucial for children's intelligence. Moreover, inter-hemispheric connections play a critical role in verbal abilities in boys.

Research paper thumbnail of Increased grey matter volume of the right superior temporal gyrus in healthy children with autistic cognitive style: A VBM study

Brain and Cognition, 2020

The empathizing-systemizing model describes human cognitive style using empathizing (the drive to... more The empathizing-systemizing model describes human cognitive style using empathizing (the drive to identify another's mental state and respond appropriately) and systemizing (the drive to assess or construct rule-based systems). 'Brain type' was envisioned to explain individual differences in cognitive style based on the discrepancy of the two drives. In this model, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, have extremely stronger systemizing. Revealing the underlying mechanisms of individual differences in cognitive style might contribute to elucidation of the pathology of ASD. We used voxel-based morphometry to compare the brain structures among the brain types (those who have stronger empathizing, those who have equally stronger drive to both, and those who have stronger systemizing) in 207 healthy children (age range: 5-15). Results showed that children with stronger systemizing had significantly greater grey matter volume of the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG) than the others. The brain region, a distinctive brain structure of those with stronger systemizing, was overlapped with that of children with ASD. The rSTG is involved in detailed perceptual processing in social cognition, which is partially related to stronger systemizing. Our results contribute to elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of individual differences in cognitive style.

Research paper thumbnail of Global associations between regional gray matter volume and diverse complex cognitive functions: evidence from a large sample study

Research paper thumbnail of Allergic tendencies are associated with larger gray matter volumes

Scientific Reports, 2018

Allergic tendencies are associated with important cognitive and physiological factors, such as in... more Allergic tendencies are associated with important cognitive and physiological factors, such as intelligence and mathematical abilities. Allergies are widely prevalent, especially in modern life, and the reason for its association with important cognitive variables is an intriguing scientific question. However, despite the unique characteristics of cognitive correlates of allergy, the anatomical correlates of allergy remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between regional gray matter volume (rGMV) and allergic tendencies in young adults. In a study cohort of 1,219 healthy, educated young adults, we identified a positive correlation between total allergic tendency and rGMV in large anatomical clusters that mainly encompassed the dorsal part of the cerebral neocortex, right anterior insula, and cerebellum. Furthermore,both mean rGMV of the entire part of these clusters and total allergenic tendency showed a significant positive correlation with spatial ability. These results suggest the link among allergic tendencies, larger rGMV, and the better spatial ability in healthy, educated young adults. Allergic diseases are becoming increasingly common in the modern world and affect approximately 50% of the population in different forms 1. The prevailing theory suggests that the underlying cause of allergies involves the facilitation of the immune response mediated by Th2immune cells 2. Allergic tendencies (the degree to which one shows symptoms of certain types of allergies) are associated with a number of important physiological and cognitive factors. For example, previous studies showed a higher occurrence of allergies in intellectually or mathematically gifted boys 3,4. Further, the model of the traditional theory presented by McManus and Bryden 5 , which tried to explain the number of observations, included the indirect associations between (a) developmental changes in the brain, that are associated with increased spatial giftedness, and (b) retardation of growth of structures involved in immunity, which in turn leads to immune disorders, including various types of allergies.

Research paper thumbnail of Science of concealment: Discussing deception from the perspective of human development

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Right amygdala and caudate activation patterns predict implicit attitudes toward people with autism spectrum disorders and physical disabilities, respectively

Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, Sep 18, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Mean diffusivity associated with trait emotional intelligence

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Aug 1, 2019

Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural bases of trait emotional intelligenc... more Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural bases of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) lie in the social cognition network (SCN) and the somatic marker circuitry (SMC). The current study was the first to investigate the associations of total TEI factors and subfactors with mean diffusivity (MD) of these networks as well as regional MD of the dopaminergic system (MDDS). We found that TEI intrapersonal factor score and total TEI score were negatively correlated with regional MDDS in the vicinity of the right putamen and right pallidum and that TEI intrapersonal factor score was negatively correlated with MD values of the fusiform gyrus. Total TEI score and TEI factor scores were positively correlated with MD values of various areas within or adjacent to SCN components, SMC structures and the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC). Our MD findings demonstrated the importance of the dopaminergic system to TEI and implicate the SCN, SMC and LPFC in TEI. Future studies are required to investigate the implications of positive and negative associations with MD values.

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of Television Viewing on Brain Structures: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses

Cerebral Cortex, Nov 20, 2013

Television (TV) viewing is known to affect children's verbal abilities and other physical, cognit... more Television (TV) viewing is known to affect children's verbal abilities and other physical, cognitive, and emotional development in psychological studies. However, the brain structural development associated with TV viewing has never been investigated. Here we examined cross-sectional correlations between the duration of TV viewing and regional gray/white matter volume (rGMV/rWMV) among 133 boys and 143 girls as well as correlations between the duration of TV viewing and longitudinal changes that occurred a few years later among 111 boys and 105 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV of the frontopolar and medial prefrontal areas in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV/rWMV of areas of the visual cortex in cross-sectional analyses, and positive effects of TV viewing on rGMV of the hypothalamus/septum and sensorimotor areas in longitudinal analyses. We also confirmed negative effects of TV viewing on verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in crosssectional and longitudinal analyses. These anatomical correlates may be linked to previously known effects of TV viewing on verbal competence, aggression, and physical activity. In particular, the present results showed effects of TV viewing on the frontopolar area of the brain, which has been associated with intellectual abilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Academic achievements and brain volume development in children and adolescents

Cerebral cortex communications, Oct 1, 2022

Children are expected to acquire both basic and numeric skills. Achievement of higher levels of r... more Children are expected to acquire both basic and numeric skills. Achievement of higher levels of reading, writing, arithmetic, and vocabulary are favorable and desirable. The relationship between each literacy skill and neural development has been investigated; however, association between brain development and the 4 literacy skills has not been examined. This longitudinal, structural, neuroimaging study explored the contribution of higher academic achievement in reading, writing, arithmetic, and vocabulary to neural development. The brain volumes of children and adolescents aged 9–16 years were measured in the first test. Approximately 2.6 years later, the brain volumes and 4 academic achievement scores of 77 participants were measured in the second test. Changes in the gray matter volume in the left fusiform gyrus were associated with vocabulary scores, whereas those in the left striatum were associated with arithmetic scores. The reading and writing scores showed no statistically significant relationship with changes in brain volume. The current vocabulary score correlated with current gray matter volume, while brain volumes in the first test showed no association with any achievement scores. These results suggest that academic achievement may modulate brain plasticity in various ways.

Research paper thumbnail of Individual differences in cognitive performance and brain structure in typically developing children

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Aug 1, 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual differences in c... more The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual differences in cognition and asymmetric patterns of cortical arousal in normal right-handed adults. Leftward asymm etry on a chimeric faces task was correlated with the ability to recognise faces and facial expression, and certain aspects of social skill. The correlation with face and emotional expression recognition was significant only for subjects who reported using a non-verbal strategy. These results further support the role of the right hemisphere in various aspects of social cognition, but also point to the need to consider individual differences in strategies em ployed during task performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic functional connectivity associated with prospective memory success in children

Research paper thumbnail of Brain Anatomy Alterations and Mental Health Challenges Correlate to Email Addiction Tendency

Brain Sciences

Despite the widespread use of email, our knowledge regarding the consequences of email addiction ... more Despite the widespread use of email, our knowledge regarding the consequences of email addiction is lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop an email addiction tendency scale to evaluate its correlation to behavior and brain structure. Following this, the validity and reliability of the developed scale was investigated. We used voxel-based morphometry, correlation, and univariate regression analysis to assess the relationships between email addiction tendency scores and regional gray and white matter volumes, depression, and nonverbal reasoning abilities in a large sample of healthy young adults (n = 1152; mean age, 20.69 ± 1.84 years). The content validity ratio, content validity index, principal component analysis, and confirmatory factorial analysis all showed that the email addiction tendency scale (EATS) has high validity. Additionally, the Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency and split-half reliability coefficient showed that the EATS has high reliability. We found t...

Research paper thumbnail of Loneliness inside of the brain: evidence from a large dataset of resting-state fMRI in young adult

Scientific Reports

Although loneliness itself is a natural emotion, prolonged loneliness is detrimental to human hea... more Although loneliness itself is a natural emotion, prolonged loneliness is detrimental to human health. Despite its detrimental effect, few loneliness-related neuroimaging studies have been published and some have limitations on the sample size number. This study aims to find the difference in resting-state functional connectivity associated with loneliness within a big sample size via the seed-based approach. Functional connectivity analysis was performed on a large cohort of young adults (N = 1336) using the seed-based functional connectivity approach to address the concern from previous studies. The analysis yielded statistically significant positive correlations between loneliness and functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus, and superior parietal lobule. Additionally, the analysis replicated a finding from a previous study, which is increased functional connectivities between the inferior frontal gyrus and supplem...

Research paper thumbnail of Neural mechanism of prospective intention holding in children

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of videogame play on the brain’s microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

Molecular Psychiatry, 2016

Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. Howev... more Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. However, the effects of VGP on the development of microstructural properties in children, particularly those associated with negative psychological consequences of VGP, have not been identified to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue through cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective analyses. In the present study of humans, we used the diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity (MD) measurement to measure microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional correlations with the amount of VGP in 114 boys and 126 girls. We also assessed correlations between the amount of VGP and longitudinal changes in MD that developed after 3.0 ± 0.3 (s.d.) years in 95 boys and 94 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found that the amount of VGP was associated with increased MD in the left middle, inferior and orbital frontal cortex; left pallidum; left putamen; left hippocampus; left caudate; right putamen; right insula; and thalamus in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Regardless of intelligence quotient type, higher MD in the areas of the left thalamus, left hippocampus, left putamen, left insula and left Heschl gyrus was associated with lower intelligence. We also confirmed an association between the amount of VGP and decreased verbal intelligence in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. In conclusion, increased VGP is directly or indirectly associated with delayed development of the microstructure in extensive brain regions and verbal intelligence.

Research paper thumbnail of Less Negative Implicit Attitudes Toward Autism Spectrum Disorder in University Students: A Comparison with Physical Disabilities

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stigmatization rooted in negative attitudes... more People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stigmatization rooted in negative attitudes or prejudice toward them due to social awkwardness. However, little is known about implicit attitudes toward ASD, especially differences in attitudes compared to those of more visible conditions; physical disabilities. In this study, we implemented implicit association tests (IATs) to assess implicit attitudes. Sixty-three university students participated in IATs and answered questionnaires that measured explicit attitudes, social desirability, knowledge about—and familiarity with—disorders. The results demonstrated that implicit attitude toward ASD was significantly less negative than toward physical disabilities. Regarding the discrepancy, not socially awkward behavior but appearance of people with ASD can be evaluated as ‘in-group’ members and lead to less negative attitude compared with physical disabilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury levels in hair are associated with reduced neurobehavioral performance and altered brain structures in young adults

Communications Biology

The detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as e... more The detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as effects of low-level exposure during early development have been established. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of mercury level on brain morphometry using advance imaging techniques in young adults. Here, utilizing hair analysis which has been advocated as a method for biological monitoring, data of regional gray matter volume (rGMV), regional white matter volume (rWMV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), cognitive functions, and depression among 920 healthy young adults in Japan, we showed that greater hair mercury levels were weakly but significantly associated with diminished cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring rapid processing (speed measures), lower depressive tendency, lower rGMV in areas of the thalamus and hippocampus, lower rWMV in widespread areas, greater FA in bilaterally distributed white matter areas overlapping...

Research paper thumbnail of Brain Structures and Activity During a Working Memory Task Associated with Internet Addiction Tendency in Young Adults

An increasing number of young people use internet excessively over the last decades, which leads ... more An increasing number of young people use internet excessively over the last decades, which leads to adverse impacts on individuals and society. The structural and functional brain characteristics associated with the excessive use of the internet have attracted substantial research attention in the past decade; however, due to the small sample sizes of past studies, many findings are inconsistent. Also, the relationship between internet addiction tendency (IAT) and regional brain activity during working memory (WM), a critical cognitive function governing learned behavior, has not been explored. In current study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and multiple regression analysis to assess the relationship between IAT score and regional gray and white matter volumes (rGMVs and rWMVs) and brain activity during a WM task in a large sample of healthy young adults (n= 1,154, mean age, 20.71 ± 1.78 years).We found a significant positive correlation between IAT score and GMV of right su...

Research paper thumbnail of Brain microstructural properties related to subjective well-being: diffusion tensor imaging analysis

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2021

Although it is known that health is not merely the absence of disease, the positive aspects of me... more Although it is known that health is not merely the absence of disease, the positive aspects of mental health have been less comprehensively researched compared with its negative aspects. Subjective well-being (SWB) is one of the indicators of positive psychology, and high SWB is considered to benefit individuals in multiple ways. However, the neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in SWB remain unclear, particularly in terms of brain microstructural properties as detected by diffusion tensor imaging. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between measurements of diffusion tensor imaging [mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy] and the degree of SWB as measured using a questionnaire. Voxel-based analysis was used to investigate the association between MD and SWB scores in healthy young adults (age, 20.7 ± 1.8 years; 695 males and 514 females). Higher levels of SWB were found to be associated with lower MD in areas surrounding the right putamen, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Shorter sleep duration and better sleep quality are associated with greater tissue density in the brain

Scientific Reports, 2018

Poor sleep quality is associated with unfavorable psychological measurements, whereas sleep durat... more Poor sleep quality is associated with unfavorable psychological measurements, whereas sleep duration has complex relationships with such measurements. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between microstructural properties of the brain and sleep duration/sleep quality in a young adult. The associations between mean diffusivity (MD), a measure of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and sleep duration/sleep quality were investigated in a study cohort of 1201 normal young adults. Positive correlations between sleep duration and MD of widespread areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the dopaminergic systems, were identified. Negative correlations between sleep quality and MD of the widespread areas of the brain, including the PFC and the right hippocampus, were also detected. Lower MD has been previously associated with more neural tissues in the brain. Further, shorter sleep duration was associated with greater persistence and executive functioning (lower Stroop interference), whereas good sleep quality was associated with states and traits relevant to positive affects. These results suggest that bad sleep quality and longer sleep duration were associated with aberrant neurocognitive measurements in the brain in healthy young adults. Sleep is an essential part of life, and the duration and quality of sleep are associated with many important variables that impact the quality of life. For example, too little or too much sleep is associated with an increased risk for the development of obesity, alcohol dependence, disease progression, and mortality,(for summary, see 1) as well as memory impairment in the elderly 2. In children, poor sleep quality and shorter sleep duration are associated with poor academic performance, although this association tends to disappear as children age 3. Short sleep duration is associated with lower cognitive performance, particularly in early childhood 4. In addition, extended sleep

Research paper thumbnail of Sex interaction of white matter microstructure and verbal IQ in corpus callosum in typically developing children and adolescents

Brain and Development

Background: Childhood is an extremely important time for neural development that has a critical r... more Background: Childhood is an extremely important time for neural development that has a critical role in human intelligence. Efficient information processing is crucial for higher intelligence, so the intra-or inter-hemispheric interaction is vital. However, the relationship between neuroanatomical connections and intelligence in typically developing children, as well as sex differences in this relationship, remains unknown. Methods: Participants were 253 typically developing children (121 boys and 132 girls) aged 5-18. We acquired diffusion tensor imaging data and intelligence using an age-appropriate version of the IQ test; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). We conducted whole-brain multiple regression analysis to investigate the association between fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects white matter microstructural properties, and each composite score of IQ test (full-scale IQ, performance IQ, and verbal IQ). Results: FA was positively correlated with full-scale IQ in bilateral inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus, genu, and splenium of corpus callosum (CC). FA in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and splenium of CC were also positively correlated with performance IQ. Furthermore, we found significant sex interaction between FA in the CC and verbal IQ. FA was positively correlated in boys, and negatively correlated in girls. Conclusion: Results suggest that efficient anatomical connectivity between parietal and frontal regions is crucial for children's intelligence. Moreover, inter-hemispheric connections play a critical role in verbal abilities in boys.

Research paper thumbnail of Increased grey matter volume of the right superior temporal gyrus in healthy children with autistic cognitive style: A VBM study

Brain and Cognition, 2020

The empathizing-systemizing model describes human cognitive style using empathizing (the drive to... more The empathizing-systemizing model describes human cognitive style using empathizing (the drive to identify another's mental state and respond appropriately) and systemizing (the drive to assess or construct rule-based systems). 'Brain type' was envisioned to explain individual differences in cognitive style based on the discrepancy of the two drives. In this model, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, have extremely stronger systemizing. Revealing the underlying mechanisms of individual differences in cognitive style might contribute to elucidation of the pathology of ASD. We used voxel-based morphometry to compare the brain structures among the brain types (those who have stronger empathizing, those who have equally stronger drive to both, and those who have stronger systemizing) in 207 healthy children (age range: 5-15). Results showed that children with stronger systemizing had significantly greater grey matter volume of the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG) than the others. The brain region, a distinctive brain structure of those with stronger systemizing, was overlapped with that of children with ASD. The rSTG is involved in detailed perceptual processing in social cognition, which is partially related to stronger systemizing. Our results contribute to elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of individual differences in cognitive style.

Research paper thumbnail of Global associations between regional gray matter volume and diverse complex cognitive functions: evidence from a large sample study

Research paper thumbnail of Allergic tendencies are associated with larger gray matter volumes

Scientific Reports, 2018

Allergic tendencies are associated with important cognitive and physiological factors, such as in... more Allergic tendencies are associated with important cognitive and physiological factors, such as intelligence and mathematical abilities. Allergies are widely prevalent, especially in modern life, and the reason for its association with important cognitive variables is an intriguing scientific question. However, despite the unique characteristics of cognitive correlates of allergy, the anatomical correlates of allergy remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between regional gray matter volume (rGMV) and allergic tendencies in young adults. In a study cohort of 1,219 healthy, educated young adults, we identified a positive correlation between total allergic tendency and rGMV in large anatomical clusters that mainly encompassed the dorsal part of the cerebral neocortex, right anterior insula, and cerebellum. Furthermore,both mean rGMV of the entire part of these clusters and total allergenic tendency showed a significant positive correlation with spatial ability. These results suggest the link among allergic tendencies, larger rGMV, and the better spatial ability in healthy, educated young adults. Allergic diseases are becoming increasingly common in the modern world and affect approximately 50% of the population in different forms 1. The prevailing theory suggests that the underlying cause of allergies involves the facilitation of the immune response mediated by Th2immune cells 2. Allergic tendencies (the degree to which one shows symptoms of certain types of allergies) are associated with a number of important physiological and cognitive factors. For example, previous studies showed a higher occurrence of allergies in intellectually or mathematically gifted boys 3,4. Further, the model of the traditional theory presented by McManus and Bryden 5 , which tried to explain the number of observations, included the indirect associations between (a) developmental changes in the brain, that are associated with increased spatial giftedness, and (b) retardation of growth of structures involved in immunity, which in turn leads to immune disorders, including various types of allergies.

Research paper thumbnail of Science of concealment: Discussing deception from the perspective of human development

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association, 2017