Kaoru Amano received the 7th “RIEC Award” for his research of “Understanding the neural mechanisms of visual perception utilizing non-invasive manipulative techniques”. This award is given to young researchers who have contributed outstandingly to the development of scientific principles or applied technologies in this field and who are expected to contribute more into the future.

The award is to appreciate his work for studying neural mechanisms underlying human perception and cognition using non-invasive manipulative techniques including decoded fMRI neurofeedback (DecNef).

The main paper:
Amano, K., Shibata, K., Kawato M., Sasaki, Y. & Watanabe, T. (2016)
Learning to Associate Orientation with Color in Early Visual Areas by Associative Decoded fMRI Neurofeedback, Current Biology 26 (14), 1861–1866.

Related paper 1:
Koizumi, A., Amano, K., Cortese, A., Shibata, K., Yoshida, W., Seymour, B., Kawato, M. & Lau, H. (2016)
Fear reduction without fear through reinforcement of neural activity that bypasses conscious exposure, Nature Human Behaviour 1, Article number: 0006.

Related paper 2:
Cortese, A., Amano, K., Koizumi, A., Kawato, M. & Lau, H. (2016)
Multivoxel neurofeedback selectively modulates confidence without changing perceptual performance, Nature Communications 7, Article number: 13669.