Tohoku University Motoaki Sugiura Lab.

　People are passionate about something in their lives and have an irrational “dependent” aspect to their survival. While it has a “light” aspect that enriches life and brings economic and cultural fertility, it has a “shadow” aspect that leads to health and lifestyle destruction, stagnation, and decadence.
　Although the brain's reward system is known to be involved in infatuation, there is no academic system that comprehensively examines the biological basis that separates light and shadow, understands them in the context of various objects of infatuation and diverse life and social environments, and comprehensively examines appropriate medical and social measures.
　In this study, we will analyze light and shadow phenomena at the individual (Kikuchi, Graduate School of Medicine) and societal (Morita, Graduate School of Law) levels, and organize the biological basis (Sasaki, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences) by making full use of human and rodent brain imaging, neuronal measurement and manipulation, to establish a methodological framework for biological, psychological and sociological understanding and application of human infatuation. We will challenge the construction and proof of concept of a methodological framework to understand and apply the biological, psycho-social, and sociological aspects of human infatuation.

This project was adopted as a Tohoku University research project under the Frontier Research in Duo (FRiD) program, and the kick-off workshop was held over two days. (Sugiura) 
Organized by FRiD Enthusiasm, co-organized by CogNAC and Human Brain Science

Lively discussions took place, and the exchange of opinions continued even after the end of the hybrid event on June 10 (Tue) at the site.