PSYCHOLOGIA
Online ISSN : 1347-5916
Print ISSN : 0033-2852
ISSN-L : 0033-2852
SPECIAL ISSUE: CONSTITUENTS OF HAPPINESS
Guest Editor: Kazuo Fujita
HAPPINESS ASSOCIATED WITH NOH-MASKS MODULATES THE MESOLIMBIC REWARD SYSTEM: AN FMRI STUDY BASED ON NEUROAESTHETICS
Naoyuki OSAKATakehiro MINAMOTO
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2011 Volume 54 Issue 4 Pages 234-240

Details
Abstract
We report a brain imaging study with fMRI in which participants were scanned while watching Noh masks with face expressions rated as happy. Among seventy standard masks previously rated by the participants, we selected the six happiest masks and six neutral masks to explore the neural correlates of happiness associated with Noh masks. Results based on region of interest (ROI) analysis indicated activations of nucleus accumbens (Nacc) while viewing happy masks. We suggest that as the Nacc activation increased, happiness tended to increase possibly due to enhanced dopaminergic activity in the Nacc associated with the reward by observing smiling masks.
Content from these authors
© 2011 by the PSYCHOLOGIA SOCIETY
Previous article Next article
feedback
Top