System Analysis for Higher Brain Function

为了了解大脑的更高功能，我们组织了一个研究小组，他们属于三大类：通过实验研究活动物的大脑功能的神经科学家，计算神经科学家，以及使用非侵入性脑成像技术研究人类受试者的神经科学家。这些多学科领域的研究人员不仅在各自的领域单独工作，而且共同努力，从不同的方面对大脑功能进行了解。最重要的是，通过密集的工作坊和研讨会，不同学科的研究人员的合作工作也得到了推进。这项研究项目的结果已经形成了令人感兴趣的新发现。它们包括：(1)理解大脑皮层组织多个动作序列的机制；(2)用光学成像技术可视化灵长类动物颞下皮质的功能组织；(3)发现与手部运动的记忆引导相关的顶神经元；(4)实时成像显示内侧-海马区的相互作用；(5)发现前额叶预期皮质中的神经元活动编码奖励等等。它们已经发表在主要的国际科学期刊上。

To understand higher function of the brain, we have organized a group of researchers belonging to three broad categories : neuroscientists working on brain function of living animals experimentally, computational neuroscientists, and neuroscientists working on human subjects with noninvasive brain imaging techniques. Researchers of these multidisciplinary fields have worked not only individually in each fields of their own, but also have worked together to reach understanding of brain function from different aspects. Most importantly, with intensive workshops and seminars, cooperative works by researchers of different discipline have also been advanced.New findings of interest have already evolved as the outcome of this research project. They include (1) understanding of cerebral cortical mechanisms for organizing sequencing of multiple movements, (2) visualization of functional organization in the primate inferetemporal cortex by the optical imaging technique, (3) discoverv of parietal neurons related to memory-guidance of hand movements, (4) visualization of enthorhinal-hippocampal interactions revealed by real-time imaging, and (5) discovery of neuronal activity in prefrontal cortex coding reward expectancy, among others. They have been published in major international scientific journals.