Professor
Masayuki Matsumoto




Following an Assistant Professorship at the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University, Dr. Matsumoto became a Professor in the Laboratory of Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience in the Faculty of Medicine, at University of Tsukuba.

His highly aclaimed and unique research focuses on the neural mechanisms which underly psychological phenomena. These include attention, emotion, learning, decision-making, and motivation.

While the midbrain dopamine system is known as a key structure in regulating animals’ positive motivation, Professor Matsumoto discovered that this system also has more diverse functions in roles such as facilitating memory, orienting attention and guiding animals’ decisions.

Professor Matsumoto was recently awarded the 2015 JSPS Prize (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science).





See Research Profile (External Site)


Cognitive Neuroscience Research


See Associated External Research Website