Neuroimaging of controlled and automatic processes in human motor control

这项研究将使用一种名为脑磁图（MEG）的新成像技术，在人类长时间执行简单而重复的运动任务时（例如，当他们看到屏幕上出现数字时按下按钮，除非是数字“3”），非侵入性地测量大脑活动。这项研究的目的是研究随着时间的推移，我们注意力的自然消长是如何影响我们执行这些任务的能力的，以及涉及到哪些大脑区域。特别是，我们希望确定大脑中检测我们犯错误的区域（比如不小心按下了数字3的按钮）。这将增加我们的知识，哪些大脑结构在预防或检测由于“走神”或在现实世界中注意力不集中而导致的错误方面是重要的，比如驾驶汽车或涉及重复性任务的工作相关活动。这将对运动控制的理解有重要的应用，以及在这些任务中表现不佳的个体的注意力缺陷，例如轻度头部受伤的患者或患有注意力障碍的儿童。

This research will use a new imaging technique called MagnetoEncephaloGraphy (MEG) to measure brain activity non-invasively in humans while they perform a simple and repetitive motor task over long periods of time (e.g., pressing a button when they see a number appear on a screen, unless it is the number "3"). The goal of this research is to study how the natural waxing and waning of our attention over time affects our ability to perform these tasks and what brain areas are involved. In particular, we wish to identify those areas of the brain that detect when we make an error (such as accidentally pressing the button for the number 3). This will increase our knowledge of which brain structures are important in preventing or detecting errors due to "mind wandering" or inattention in real world situations, such as driving an automobile or work-related activity involving repetitive tasks. This will have important applications to the understanding of motor control, as well as attentional deficits in individuals reflected by poor performance in such tasks, for example, in patients with mild head injuries, or children with attentional disorders.