Short-, Medium- and Long-Term Neural Dynamics of Conceptual Learning

概念学习的短期、中期和长期神经动力学

• 批准号: 0846229
• 负责人: Christopher Tyler
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0846229&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Short; Medium; Long; Term; Neural

Short-, Medium- and Long-Term Neural Dynamics of Conceptual LearningThe process of learning concepts is inherently dynamic, with both short-term neural changes as the aspects of the concept are progressively understood, and longer-term consolidation of the material for retrieval at future times. Higher forms of learning, such as verbal and mathematical reasoning, can be studied only in humans because they are beyond the known abilities of other species. Thus, non-invasive brain research technologies that provide both high-temporal and high-spatial resolution are required. The proposal represents an emerging domain in the neuroscience of learning, based on a recent development that enables the methodology of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to reveal the full range of the neural dynamics of conceptual learning in the human brain. Until now, fMRI has been a tool that could only study long-term neural changes because its response is based on the slow temporal dynamics of the cerebral blood response. As a result, it has been impossible to follow the temporal evolution of the learning process through the complex of local cortical activations in the human brain. An innovative approach will be taken to the analysis of neural dynamics to study the neural information flow in the brain during the learning of both verbal and mathematical reasoning tasks to determine how these two kinds of learning take place. In addition, a much higher spatial resolution of the fMRI technique than is usual in the study of cognitive processing will focus the study on the analysis of local neural populations. Our new technical developments allow us to resolve the neural dynamics of cognitive processing to their native temporal resolution and track the changes in dynamics as the conceptual learning proceeds. This novel approach is of high value in understanding the changes in neural population dynamics underlying the learning process in general, and of the processes of conceptual learning in particular. The current proposal will provide knowledge of the neural dynamics of cognitive processing in the human brain that can have a transformative impact on our understanding of the learning process. In particular, it will radically enhance the ability to build computational models of the neural underpinnings of the learning process, and allow the sequence of information flow in the brain to be mapped as advanced concepts are learned for the first time. This novel capability will promote detailed strategies for enhancing information transfer about effective learning dynamics from the field of cognitive neuroscience to the educational arena.

概念学习的短期、中期和长期神经动力学学习概念的过程本质上是动态的，既有随着概念各方面的逐渐理解而产生的短期神经变化，也有为将来检索而进行的长期巩固。更高形式的学习，如语言和数学推理，只能在人类身上研究，因为它们超出了其他物种的已知能力。因此，需要同时提供高时间和高空间分辨率的非侵入性脑研究技术。该提议代表了学习神经科学中的一个新兴领域，其基础是最近的一项发展，使功能磁共振成像(FMRI)方法能够揭示人脑中概念学习的全面神经动力学。到目前为止，功能磁共振成像一直是一种只能研究长期神经变化的工具，因为它的反应是基于大脑血液反应的缓慢时间动力学。因此，通过人脑局部皮质激活的复杂过程来跟踪学习过程的时间演变是不可能的。将采用一种创新的方法来分析神经动力学，研究在语言和数学推理任务的学习过程中大脑中的神经信息流，以确定这两种学习是如何发生的。此外，fMRI技术的空间分辨率比认知加工研究中的通常要高得多，这将使研究重点放在对局部神经群体的分析上。我们的新技术发展使我们能够将认知加工的神经动力学解析为其原始的时间分辨率，并随着概念学习的进行跟踪动力学的变化。这一新的方法对于理解学习过程中神经种群动力学的变化，特别是概念学习过程具有很高的价值。目前的提议将提供关于人脑认知处理的神经动力学的知识，这可能会对我们对学习过程的理解产生革命性的影响。特别是，它将从根本上增强为学习过程的神经基础建立计算模型的能力，并允许在首次学习高级概念时绘制大脑中的信息流序列。这一新的能力将促进关于有效学习动力学的详细策略从认知神经科学领域向教育领域转移。