Yasuto Tanaka

Emotion Voice Analysis System Connected to the Human Brain

To investigate human brain activities in association with emotional speech, we developed a novel voice analysis system connected to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. Participants spoke inside the MR magnet during which BOLD activities of the brain was measured. Speech voice was transmitted through the newly developed mask-microphone inside the magnet to the external computer and was processed by the emotional voice analysis system. Two participants conversed without hindrance and their emotional state was analyzed. Using the system, we were able to detect brain activities during speech and simultaneously evaluate the human emotional voice.

Identifying neural components of emotion in free conversation with fMRI

To evaluate neural components of emotional utterance, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was operated during free conversation. Timing and types of emotional elements such as anger, sorrow, joy, excitement and calmness were identified by the Voice Emotion Analysis (VEA) system. Conducting the modified event-related analysis, we found increased Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) activities during free conversation in the lateral frontal cortex (BA47). Furthermore, the dorsolateral frontal cortex (BA45) and the limbic cortex were activated when the VEA system indicated excitement and anger, respectively. Since these areas are consistent with the neural circuits subserving emotional speech, the results confirm the neurophysiological correlates of emotion extracted by specific patterns of phonetic parameters during speech production.

Increased salivary chromogranin A associated with sympathetic nervous activity during psychological stress

Infiltrating T lymphocytes following traumatic injury of the central nervous system (CNS) are considered to be detrimental, but detailed kinetics and specific subsets of T lymphocytes in the injured CNS are still unclear. Moreover, efficacy of T cell-implantation after the CNS trauma remains to be elusive. Here we show that Th1 cells ameliorate functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). In vitro, Th1 cells enhance neurite outgrowth of cerebral cortical neurons by a mechanism independent of direct interferon(IFN)-action. After SCI, IFN+ interleukin-17 (IL-17)+ double positive-CD4+ helper T and T cells infiltrate into the spinal cord. Implantation of cultured Th1 cells ex vivo into mice after SCI unexpectedly diminishes IFN+ IL-17+ double positive-CD4+ helper T and T cells and activates interleukin-10 (IL-10)producing microglia/macrophages and results in improvement of functional recovery. However, implantation of cultured Th17 cells did not improve recovery of motor function after SCI or were prone to exacerbate functional recovery. Reported detrimental effects of T lymphocytes may be due to IL-17-producing T lymphocytes. We observed enhanced sprouting of corticospinal tract and regeneration of serotonergic fiber by Th1-implantation. Thus, immunomodulation with Th1 cells is promising intervention in the treatment of CNS injury.

Correlation between human brain activities and the autonomic nervous system elicited by emotional video movies

O2P-F15 Human chorionic gonadotropin increases exploratory behaviour and impairs episodic-like memory in PS1M146V mice Anna M. Barron1,2,3, Kevin Taddei1,2,3, Giuseppe Verdile1,2,3, Ralph N. Martins1,2,3 1 School of Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Westen Australia, Australia; 2 Centre of Excellence in Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Care, Edith Cowan University; 3 Sir James McCusker Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit, Hollywood Private Hospital

Neural correlates of emotional voice recognition: An event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Animals show dramatic behavioral changes depending on the environments. They show decrease of response or even avoidance of a favorable stimulus after they are treated with both the continuous stimulus and severe conditions such as starvation. We isolated casy-1(pe401) mutant as a new mutant that is defective in salt chemotaxis learning. CASY-1 is the sole C. elegans homolog of human Calsyntenin/Alcadein family. Several casy-1 deletion mutants show defects in multiple forms of behavioral plasticity and sensory processing. We found that CASY-1 acts in the ASER sensory neuron in the adult stage for salt chemotaxis learning. The ectodomain of CASY-1 is released into the body cavity and then taken up by scavenger cells. Similar cleavages are reported for Calsyntenins. Moreover, we determined the molecular region that is important for learning. We will discuss the relationship between the proteolytic cleavage of CASY-1 and the regulation of learning.