Cortical Circuits for Attention and Decisions

描述(由申请人提供)：我们对皮质功能的理解基本上是静态的和模块化的。关于哪些大脑皮层区域表达不同类型的信息，人们已经了解了很多，但信息如何通过大脑皮层流动在很大程度上仍然是猜测，间接地从解剖联系中推断出来。考虑两个关键的认知功能：注意力和知觉决定。在模块化水平上对这些功能已经知道很多，但这些信号在哪里出现，它们在哪里流动，以及大脑区域如何相互作用和协作来支持它们，在很大程度上仍然是未知的。为了解决这个问题，我们将训练猴子在一项旨在改变注意力和决定因素的参数变化的任务中对视觉运动和/或颜色做出判断。我们将记录同时植入额叶和视觉皮质大范围区域的多个电极的神经活动。通过比较神经活动的时间动力学，我们将测试关于认知信号如何产生并作用于不同皮质区域的本质的基本假设。一种假设是，注意力和决策相关的信号都来自前额叶皮质，并流向视觉皮质。另一种假设是，自上而下的注意信号出现在前额叶皮质，但感知决定出现在较高级别的视觉皮质。我们还将确定自上而下的信号是否同时作用于大脑皮层的不同层次，而不是信号从一个区域级联到另一个区域。我们还将测试信号流的模式和大脑皮层区域之间的交互是否会随着任务需求的变化而变化。检验这些假说是解决神经精神障碍的关键一步。越来越多的证据表明，许多疾病可能是由于大脑区域之间的连接和相互作用功能障碍造成的。这项研究将是第一次大规模测试皮质区域之间的相互作用如何支持正常大脑中两个基本和关键的认知功能。 与公共健康相关：我们将使用多电极技术从大脑皮层的多个区域进行记录，同时猴子参与决定不同的刺激功能。检验这些假说是解决神经精神障碍的关键一步。越来越多的证据表明，许多疾病可能是由于大脑区域之间的连接和相互作用功能障碍造成的。这项研究将是第一次大规模测试大脑皮层区域之间的相互作用如何支持两种基本和关键的认知功能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our understanding of cortical function is largely static and modular. A lot has been learned about which cortical areas express different types of information, but how information flows through the cortex is still largely conjecture, indirectly inferred from anatomical connections. Consider two critical cognitive functions: attention and perceptual decisions. Much is known about these functions on a modular level, but where these signals arise, where they flow, and how brain areas interact and collaborate to support them is still largely unknown. To address this, we will train monkeys to make judgments about visual motion and/or color in a task designed to parametrically vary attention and decision factors. We will record neural activity from many electrodes simultaneously implanted in a wide range of areas in the frontal and visual cortex. By comparing temporal dynamics of neural activity, we will test fundamental hypotheses about the nature of how cognitive signals arise and act on different cortical areas. One hypothesis is that both attention and decision-related signals arise from prefrontal cortex and flow to visual cortex. The alternative hypothesis is that top-down attention signals arise in the prefrontal cortex, but perception decisions arise in higher-level visual cortex. We will also determine whether top-down signals act simultaneously on different levels of the cortical hierarchy versus the signals cascading from one area to the next. We will also test whether patterns of signal flow and interactions between cortical areas change with task demands. Testing these hypotheses is critical step to addresses neuropsychiatric disorders. There is increasing evidence that many disorders may be due to dysfunction in connections and interactions between brain areas. This study would be the first large scale test of how interactions between cortical areas support two basic and critical cognitive functions in the normal brain. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We will use multiple-electrode technology to record from multiple areas of the cortex while monkeys attend to make decisions about, different stimulus features. Testing these hypotheses is critical step to addressing neuropsychiatric disorders. There is increasing evidence that many disorders may be due to dysfunction in connections and interactions between brain areas. This study would be the first large scale test of how interactions between cortical areas support two basic and critical cognitive functions.