Cortical representation of sensory predictions investigated with multivariate pattern analysis and high-field fMRI

通过多变量模式分析和高场功能磁共振成像研究感官预测的皮层表征

• 批准号: 423633537
• 负责人: Professorin Dr. Bianca van Kemenade
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: School of Psychology and Neuroscience
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Fellowships
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2018-12-31 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/423633537?language=en
• 关键词: Cortical; representation; sensory; predictions; investigated

Understanding the relationship between one’s own action and its sensory outcome is crucial to establish correct and meaningful interactions with the external world. This is achieved by generating predictions about the sensory consequences of our own actions based on a copy of the motor command, the so called efference copy. Such predictions often lead to reduced neural processing compared to externally generated stimuli, although sometimes enhancement is observed. Despite increasing knowledge about action-based predictive mechanisms and their neural correlates, some important questions remain to be resolved. In three work packages involving 3T and 7T fMRI experiments, the proposed project will answer questions regarding where and how action-based predictions are generated, and how these predictions impact perception. First of all, it is still unclear where action-based predictions originate in the first place. Using multivariate pattern analysis, brain areas carrying information regarding the identity of the upcoming stimulus will be identified in the first work package, and similarities and differences with predictions about externally generated stimuli will be studied. In the second work package, stimulus characteristics will be manipulated to investigate which factors lead to behavioural and neural suppression and which to enhancement. This work package will also answer the question how spatially precise these predictions are. In the third work package, the experiments from the first two work packages will be optimised for high-field fMRI in a 7T MRI scanner, which allows for segmentation of cortical layers due to its superior spatial resolution. This will allow to identify which aspects of action-based predictive mechanisms are based on bottom-up processes and which on top-down processes, as these processes involve different cortical layers. Such knowledge will provide important insight into the underlying neural mechanisms of action-based predictive processing. All in all, the proposed project aims to provide a comprehensive framework of how we generate predictions about sensory action consequences up to the level of cortical layers of the human brain.

理解一个人自己的行为与其感官结果之间的关系，对于与外部世界建立正确而有意义的互动至关重要。这是通过基于运动指令的副本，即所谓的传出副本，生成对我们自己行为的感觉后果的预测来实现的。与外部产生的刺激相比，这种预测通常会导致神经处理的减少，尽管有时会观察到增强。尽管对基于动作的预测机制及其神经关联的了解越来越多，但仍有一些重要的问题有待解决。在涉及3T和7T功能磁共振实验的三个工作包中，拟议的项目将回答以下问题：基于行动的预测是在哪里以及如何生成的，以及这些预测如何影响感知。首先，目前仍不清楚基于行动的预测最初是从哪里开始的。使用多变量模式分析，携带关于即将到来的刺激的身份的信息的大脑区域将在第一个工作包中被识别，并将研究与关于外部产生的刺激的预测的异同。在第二个工作包中，将操纵刺激特性，以调查哪些因素导致行为和神经抑制，哪些因素增强。这一工作包还将回答这些预测在空间上有多精确的问题。在第三个工作包中，前两个工作包中的实验将针对7T MRI扫描仪中的高场fMRI进行优化，该扫描仪由于其优越的空间分辨率而允许分割皮质层。这将允许识别基于行动的预测机制的哪些方面基于自下而上的过程，以及哪些基于自上而下的过程，因为这些过程涉及不同的大脑皮层。这些知识将为基于动作的预测加工的潜在神经机制提供重要的洞察力。总而言之，拟议的项目旨在提供一个全面的框架，说明我们如何生成对人类大脑皮层水平的感觉动作后果的预测。