Related Experiment Videos
Tool-use learning induces BDNF expression in a selective portion of monkey anterior parietal cortex
Hidetoshi Ishibashi1, Sayaka Hihara, Mariko Takahashi
1Section of Cognitive Neurobiology, Department of Maxillofacial Biology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8549, Tokyo, Japan. ishibashi.cnb@tmd.ac.jp
Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research
|August 23, 2002
Summary
Learning to use tools increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in specific brain regions. This suggests BDNF helps the brain update body perception to include the tool as part of the hand.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Neurobiology
Background:
- Tool use is a hallmark of human cognition.
- The neural mechanisms underlying the integration of tools into the body schema are not fully understood.
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is implicated in neural plasticity and learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of BDNF in the neural processes associated with learning tool use.
- To identify specific brain regions where BDNF expression changes during tool-use learning.
Main Methods:
- Participants learned to use novel tools.
- Brain activity and BDNF expression levels were measured.
- Neuroimaging techniques were employed to pinpoint changes in the intraparietal sulcus and somatosensory cortex.
Main Results:
- Tool-use learning, but not the execution of learned actions, significantly increased BDNF expression.
- The highest BDNF expression was observed in the anterior bank of the intraparietal sulcus.
- This region was adjacent to the somatosensory shoulder and forearm representation in area 3b.
Conclusions:
- BDNF plays a crucial role in the learning phase of tool use, facilitating neural adaptation.
- The findings suggest that BDNF contributes to the recalibration of body representation to incorporate tools.
- This neural plasticity allows the brain to extend the perceived boundaries of the body to include the tool.