Biology subjects

Mano, Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Mano, Y..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A densely sampled fMRI dataset for investigating food valuation

Subjective valuation of food rewards guides our dietary choices and is fundamental to human health and well-being. Extensive literature in human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies has consistently shown that a network of reward-processing brain regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum, encodes the subjective values of food rewards. However, the representational geometry of value signals and the mechanisms by which they are constructed in the brain remain poorly understood. This is partly because most fMRI studies on food valuation rely on small stimulus sets, yielding datasets too shallow for advanced analyses such as multi-voxel pattern analysis, and deep neural network modeling. Here, we present a densely sampled fMRI dataset wherein 31 participants provided subjective value ratings for over 500 food images across three separate days. We validate the dataset by replicating the well-established findings regarding the neural encoding of subjective value in the vmPFC and ventral striatum. We anticipate this resource will facilitate diverse studies on neural food valuation using advanced analytical methods.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Neural mechanisms underlying reward processing and social cognition: a replication study with a Japanese sample

Neural functions underlying reward processing and social cognition play a critical role in everyday decision-making. Given that these processes may be shaped by cultural factors, it is essential to examine their cross-cultural generalizability. In this study, we used functional MRI to scan native Japanese speakers as they performed two well-established experimental paradigms: the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task for reward processing and the Theory of Mind (ToM) task for social cognition. We successfully replicated previous findings. Specifically, in the MID task, reward expectation and reward outcome were associated with neural activity in the ventral striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In the ToM task, social cognition was linked to activation in the temporoparietal junction. Notably, the posterior cingulate cortex was engaged in both tasks, suggesting its integrative role across cognitive domains. Together, these results replicate and extend earlier work, supporting the cross-cultural generalizability of the neural mechanisms underlying reward and social cognition, and further validating our fMRI protocol for future research.

neuroscience↗