Acquisition of a Cognitive and Vision Science Laboratory Major Instrumentation Program (MRI) Grant

在美国国家科学基金会的主要研究仪器基金的支持下，亚利桑那州立大学西校区的Jose E. Nenez博士将获得一套用于视觉感知和神经元组织研究的仪器。该仪器由多种设备和计算系统组成，包括：带有高分辨率监视器的Macintosh G5计算机、黄斑色素密度计、时间对比灵敏度装置、光度计-辐射计、视觉分辨率超敏锐度装置和眼动仪。奔腾4计算机系统将用于在研究过程中训练本科生。尽管将追求许多相关的研究目标，但一个中心目标是探索大脑可塑性与关键闪烁融合之间的关系，关键闪烁融合是视觉皮层背流神经元信息处理效率的指标。关键闪烁融合是将中央视野内的闪烁光融合为稳定的光流的能力，反映了神经处理的基本方面。在之前的研究中，纳涅斯博士和他的合作者已经证明，与之前的看法相反，成年人视觉皮层中的神经元存在可塑性。因此，在婴儿期和幼儿期，神经元并不是固定连接的。研究人员现在希望确定中老年人视觉皮层V1区可塑性的存在和程度，以及这种可塑性是否也可以改变。研究结果不仅有可能对基本的神经机制提供新的见解，而且还提供了提高阅读障碍和阅读能力差的个体有效功能的方法。该仪器的收购将允许创建两个全面运作的研究单位，除了促进高级科学家的研究外，还将为本科生提供有监督的、增值的研究培训和实践经验。

With support from the National Science Foundation's Major Research Instrumentation grant, Dr. Jose E. Nenez, Sr. of Arizona State University at the West Campus will acquire a suite of instrumentation to pursue research in visual perception and neuronal organization. The instrumentation consists of a variety of devices and computing systems that include: Macintosh G5 computers with high resolution monitors, a macular pigment densitometer, a temporal contrast sensitivity device, a photometer-radiometer, a visual resolution hyperacuity device, and an eye tracker. Pentium 4 computer systems will be used for training undergraduate students in the research process. Although a number of related research goals will be pursued, a central goal is to explore the relationship between brain plasticity and critical flicker fusion, an indicator of efficiency of information processing in neurons within the dorsal stream of the visual cortex. Critical flicker fusion is the ability to fuse a flickering light presented within the central visual field into a steady light stream and reflects basic aspects of neural processing. In prior research Dr. Nanez and his collaborators have demonstrated that, contrary to prior beliefs, plasticity exists in the neurons within the visual cortex of human adults. Thus the neurons are not hard wired in infancy and early childhood. The researchers now wish to determine the presence and degree of plasticity in Area V1 of the visual cortex of middle-age and older humans and whether this can be altered as well. The results have the potential not only to provide new insight into basic neural mechanisms but also provide methods to increase effective functioning in individuals with dyslexia and poor reading ability. The acquisition of this instrumentation will permit the creation of two fully-operational research units and in addition to facilitating senior scientists' research will also provide undergraduates with supervised, value-added research training and hands-on experience.