CRCNS: Spatiotemporal imaging study of the mechanisms of binocular rivalry

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议合作研究的目标是通过建立一种具有广泛应用的新型计算时空神经成像方法，促进对双眼竞争机制的理解，这是神经科学中一个重要的未解决问题。我们的两只眼睛通常协同工作，为我们提供连贯而独特的视觉世界。然而，当两幅不同的图像呈现在每只眼睛上时，它们之间的感知就会交替，这种现象被称为双目竞争。双眼竞争受到神经科学界的高度重视，因为对双眼竞争的理解是理解双眼视觉信息如何结合的关键，也因为双眼竞争已成为研究视觉意识和意识神经机制的主要模型系统。鉴于近年来神经成像技术的快速发展和双目竞争中仍有待解决的关键问题，神经科学家和生物医学工程师之间密切合作开发创新计算方法和推进时空成像前沿的机会已经成熟，以回答双目竞争中的关键问题。智力优势：该合作研究项目将通过解决以下具体目标推进神经科学研究和计算神经成像：目标1。双眼竞争的fMRI和EEG同时测量和计算多模态神经成像。我们将建立一种新的多模态计算时空神经成像方法，测量和整合双眼竞争期间大脑活动的fMRI和EEG信号。本目标将回答与双目竞争相关的关键问题，并显著推进双目竞争研究和脑成像的时空计算神经成像方法的最新进展，从而对双目竞争背后的大脑活动模式进行高分辨率的时空成像。目标2。应用方法研究双眼竞争的成分及刺激竞争机制。我们将在Aim 1中使用功能磁共振成像和脑电图相结合的方法来研究双眼竞争的组成机制，并测试基于有影响力的双眼竞争计算模型的预测。我们

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the proposed collaborative research is to advance the understanding of the mechanisms underlying binocular rivalry, a significant unresolved issue in neuroscience, through the establishment of a novel computational spatio-temporal neuroimaging methodology with broad applications. Our two eyes normally work in tandem to give us a coherent and unique representation of the visual world. However, when two different images are presented one to each eye, perception alternates between them, a phenomenon known as binocular rivalry. Binocular rivalry has attached significant attention from the neuroscience community, because its understanding is key to understanding how visual information from the two eyes is combined and also because binocular rivalry has become the main model system for studying neural mechanisms of visual awareness and consciousness. Given the rapid development in neuroimaging techniques in recent years and the critical questions that remain to be addressed in binocular rivalry, the opportunity is ripe for a close collaboration between neuroscientist and biomedical engineers to develop innovative computational approaches and push forward the frontiers of spatiotemporal imaging to answer critical questions in binocular rivalry. Intellectual Merits: This collaborative research project wll advance both neuroscience research and computational neuroimaging by addressing the following specific aims: Aim 1. Simultaneous fMRI and EEG measurement and computational multimodal neuroimaging of binocular rivalry. We will establish a novel multimodal computational spatio-temporal neuroimaging approach that measures and integrates simultaneous fMRI and EEG signals of brain activity during binocular rivalry. This Aim will answer key questions related to binocular rivalry, and significantly advance the state of the art o binocular rivalry research and the spatio-temporal computational neuroimaging methodology for brain mapping, allowing high resolution spatio-temporal imaging of the pattern of brain activity that underlies the resolution of binocular rivalry. Aim 2. Application of method to study components of binocular rivalry and mechanisms of stimulus rivalry. We will used combined fMRI and EEG to be developed in Aim 1 to investigate the component mechanisms of binocular rivalry, and to test predictions based on influential computational models of binocular rivalry. We will identify the neural correlates of two dynamic stages of rivalry initiation and rivalry maintenance. We will investigate the neural mechanisms responsible for stimulus rivalry. Of innovation are the key hypotheses to be tested in the proposed experimental investigation, and the multi-modal computational neuroimaging approach. The highly promising preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach and indicate the high likelihood of success of the carefully designed and developments. Broader Impacts: The proposed project will have broad impacts to 1) advance basic neuroscience research, 2) promote public health, and 3) educate and train the next generation of scientific leaders including women and members of under-represented groups. Understanding the mechanisms of binocular rivalry has important implications for understanding the neural basis of consciousness, as well as how our brain resolves conflicting input information. The successful completion of the proposed research will lead to a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of binocular rivalry and advancement of a novel multimodal computational neuroimaging approach, which promises to image brain activity with high resolution in both space and time. As such the proposed project will have a significant impact for study of a broad range of topics in cognitive neuroscience, from perception through cognition and mental disorders, and imaging science for solving inverse problem with broad applications in science and engineering. Understanding binocular interactions will also lead to a better understanding of mechanisms of visual disorders, such as amblyopia, one of the most common visual disorders, resulting from cortical weakening of one eye's inputs. Understanding the mechanisms of suppression in rivalry and of integration when rivalry does not occur may significantly advance the management of various visual disorders such as amblyopia. Furthermore, through the proposed training of graduate students and postdocs including women and members of under-represented groups, the project will have broad impacts of training of the next generation of scientific leaders.