CAREER: System Theoretic Methods for Understanding the Dynamics of Cognition

这个教师早期职业奖（Career）项目旨在通过使用系统和控制理论的工具研究认知的神经机制来理解人类大脑的认知功能。这项研究将开发有助于理解大脑内部动力学的数学模型。这项研究将集中于建立神经回路属性和它们的信息处理功能之间的联系。该研究将使用来自人类受试者的大脑活动数据来验证新开发的数学模型，以建立大脑动力学和认知功能之间的联系。该项目的结果可以为开发与认知功能改变相关的神经系统疾病的治疗方法提供见解，例如由于严重脑损伤导致的认知能力丧失。该项目还将有助于教育从事系统理论和神经科学交叉学科的科学家，并将提高神经学诊断的可解释性和可及性。PI很好地整合了圣路易斯磁石学校学生的教育推广计划，其中包括使用神经技术工具包来探索和可视化大脑动力学。这项研究将培养对数学和脑科学科学探究的持续热情。这个CAREER项目将开发工具和技术来理解某些认知状态，使用动力学和控制理论的方法来分析神经元及其形成的网络的动态行为。这项研究将揭示动态和控制在微尺度神经网络中的作用，因为它们与信息处理有关。它将有助于理解大脑网络的动态如何使认知显著的操作，如多模态整合和信息保留。随着这些控制理论的发展，这项工作将探索在多个空间尺度上模型和数据驱动的神经元动力学表征的新方法。这项工作的三个具体目标是：(i)通过动力学和控制的新发展分析宏观脑动力学与认知功能之间的关系；（ii）研究神经动力学如何以支持信息处理的方式出现；（iii）通过大量的教学和课程努力确保项目的长期成功。

This Faculty Early Career Award (CAREER) project is aimed at understanding cognitive functions in the human brain by investigating neural mechanisms of cognition using tools from systems and control theory. The research will develop mathematical models that will help understand internal brain dynamics. The study will focus on establishing connections between properties of neural circuits and their information processing functionality. The research will use brain activity data from human subjects to validate the newly developed mathematical models to establish connections between brain dynamics and cognitive functions. The outcomes of this project can provide insights into developing treatments for neurological conditions associated with altered cognitive functions such as loss of cognitive ability due to severe brain injuries. The project will also help to educate scientists working in the cross-cutting discipline of systems theory and neuroscience and will improve interpretability and accessibility of neurological diagnostics. The PI has well integrated educational outreach program for students from a St. Louis magnet school that includes use of neurotechnology kits for exploring and visualizing brain dynamics. This research will foster sustained excitement for scientific inquiry in mathematics and brain science. This CAREER project will develop tools and techniques to understand certain cognitive states using methods of dynamics and control theory to analyze the dynamic behavior of neurons and the networks they form. The research will shed light on the role of dynamics and control within micro-scale neuronal networks as they relate to information processing. It will help understand how the dynamics of brain networks enable cognitively salient operations such as multi-modal integration and information retention. Along with these control-theoretic developments, this work will explore new methods for model- and data-driven characterization of neuronal dynamics at multiple spatial scales. The three specific objectives of this work are: (i) analyzing the relationship between macro-scale brain dynamics and cognitive function through new developments in dynamics and control; (ii) studying how neural dynamics may emerge in ways that support information processing; (iii) ensuring the long-term success of the program through numerous pedagogical and curricular endeavors.