Tackling the functional role of multisensory interactions in behavioural benefits: A combined EEG and computational modelling approach

解决多感官交互在行为益处中的功能作用：脑电图和计算建模相结合的方法

• 批准号: 2885836
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of St Andrews
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2885836
• 关键词: Tackling; functional; role; multisensory; interactions

The availability of multiple senses is highly beneficial to control behaviour. Different senses not only increase the spectrum of perceivable signals but also provide redundant signals that, by combination, enable better estimates of external events and/or faster achievements of subjective goals. However, we do not yet fully understand the brain functions that guide the combination of multisensory signals. Strikingly, a number of recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of early sensory cortices in multisensory processes, which in many cases included even primary sensory cortices that have traditionally been considered to maintain unisensory processes only. Still, the exact functional role of these early multisensory interactions and their contribution to behavioural benefits remain puzzling (Kayser, 2010). The proposed PhD project will tackle multisensory interactions in humans by an interdisciplinary approach. The project will utilize a new computational model of multisensory integration to interpret recordings from state-of-the-art steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) recordings (Norcia et al., 2015). The SSVEP provides for the unique ability to frequency-tag input presented to the different senses. By tagging the input to each sense it is possible to track the flow of information from unisensory input to multisensory interactions. These tags retain unambiguous signatures of their sensory origin even after being combined by multisensory processes. Second, we will analyse the neurophysiological data informed by a new computational modelling approach, which allows for precise predictions about the processing interactions that have contributed to the benefits observed in behaviour and the underlying perceptual decisions (Otto & Mamassian, 2012). The combination of advanced physiological recording with cutting-edge computational modelling will enable an unprecedented understanding of how the brain combines information across the senses.

多种感官的可用性对控制行为非常有益。不同的感觉不仅增加了可感知信号的频谱，而且还提供了冗余信号，通过组合，能够更好地估计外部事件和/或更快地实现主观目标。然而，我们还没有完全了解大脑的功能，指导多感官信号的组合。引人注目的是，最近的一些研究表明，早期感觉皮层参与了多感觉过程，在许多情况下，甚至包括传统上被认为只维持单感觉过程的初级感觉皮层。尽管如此，这些早期多感官互动的确切功能作用及其对行为益处的贡献仍然令人困惑（Kayser，2010）。拟议的博士项目将通过跨学科的方法解决人类的多感官相互作用。该项目将利用多感觉整合的新计算模型来解释来自最先进的稳态视觉诱发电位（SSVEP）记录的记录（Norcia等人，2015年）的报告。SSVEP提供了独特的能力，以频率标记输入呈现给不同的感官。通过标记每个感官的输入，就有可能跟踪从单感官输入到多感官交互的信息流。这些标签保留明确的签名，他们的感觉来源，即使在被组合的多感官过程。其次，我们将分析由新的计算建模方法提供的神经生理学数据，该方法允许精确预测有助于行为和潜在感知决策中观察到的益处的处理交互（Otto & Mamassian，2012）。先进的生理记录与尖端的计算建模相结合，将使人们能够前所未有地了解大脑如何通过感官组合信息。