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了解人类大脑的认知功能。这项研究将开发数学模型，有助于理解内部大脑动力学。这项研究将集中在建立神经回路的属性和它们的信息处理功能之间的联系。 该研究将使用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。该项目还将帮助教育在系统理论和神经科学交叉学科工作的科学家，并将提高神经诊断的可解释性和可访问性。 PI为来自圣路易斯磁铁学校的学生提供了很好的综合教育推广计划，包括使用神经技术工具包来探索和可视化大脑动力学。 这项研究将促进数学和脑科学科学探究的持续兴奋。这个职业项目将开发工具和技术，以了解某些认知状态，使用动力学和控制理论的方法来分析神经元的动态行为和它们形成的网络。这项研究将揭示动力学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实现认知上的显著操作，如多模式整合和信息保留。 沿着这些控制理论的发展，这项工作将探索新的方法，模型和数据驱动的表征神经元动力学在多个空间尺度。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大脑动力学和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）通过许多教学和课程努力确保该计划的长期成功。

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.