仙琴蛙听觉注意的动态过程、性二型及神经机理

注意是认知的核心和大脑功能的基础，是动物生存与繁殖成功的关键。前人针对听觉注意的行为结果和注意启动机制进行了大量研究，但听觉注意过程及其神经机理尚不清楚。基于既往研究，我们提出两点假设：①自上而下信息和自下而上信息的动态交互是实现听觉注意的机制，有意注意和反射性注意对这两部分信息有着不同的动态时空调配过程；②雌雄两性对听觉注意脑网络的不同加权配置决定了听觉注意的性二型。脊椎动物听觉行为常受多模信号调制，由于大脑功能具有保守性，所以对听觉行为几乎完全依赖声音通讯的蛙类进行相关研究，更易揭示听觉注意的本原。本项目以仙琴蛙(Babina daunchina)为模型，结合行为和电生理方法，以“综合”思路和“性二型”视角研究听觉注意的动态过程、性二型及神经机理。本项目的实施将阐明听觉注意在行为和认知两层面的本质特征及潜在神经机制，对探讨大脑功能、性选择、语音识别和人工智能均具有重要的科学意义。

Attention is central to cognition and essential for brain functions, thereby enabling survival and reproductive success in animals. Although many studies have explored the consequences of auditory behaviors and the mechanisms of activating auditory attention, it is still unknown what are the properties of its dynamic processes and the underlying neural mechanisms. Based on previous studies, the following hypotheses are put forward: 1) Voluntary attention and reflexive attention are dynamic processes in which both top-down and bottom-up signals are involved with different dynamic spatio-temporal modulation patterns; 2) Sexual dimorphisms in auditory attention are based on different weighting configurations of brain networks for auditory attention between sexes. Different from other vertebrates’ auditory behaviors are modulated by multimode signals, auditory behaviors in frogs rely almost entirely on vocal communications. Because of conserved brain functions, the principle of auditory attention will be revealed relatively easily when frogs are used as animal models. In the present project, the dynamic processes, sexual dimorphisms and the underlying neural mechanisms of auditory attention will be explored comprehensively and sexually by behavioral and electrophysiological experiments in the Emei music frog (Babina daunchina). This project may help us to understand the principle and the underlying neural mechanisms of auditory attention. It has significant scientific importance for exploring brain functions and sexual selection as well as for speech recognition and artificial intelligence.