IDENTIFYING NONLINEAR PROCESSES IN THE TIME ESTIMATION

该项目的长期目标是确定时间知觉的认知机制。这项建议的具体目的是确定多巴胺和胆碱能调节时间估计的药理学机制，并确定时间非线性的来源(时钟或记忆)。这些目标背后的理论基础是，如果不找出时间非线性过程的来源，就不可能提供对时间知觉的完整理解。这项拟议研究的中心假设是，可以通过独立评估时钟和记忆过程的行为和药物操作来识别非线性的来源。将使用多种选择性激动剂和拮抗剂来确定药理特异性。为了研究非线性过程，有必要研究许多紧密间隔的条件。时钟和记忆机制中的非线性将通过检查药物操纵下的非线性的潜在变化来分离。总的结果将是哪个定时分量是非线性的精确陈述。这一结果预计将对该领域产生重大影响，因为关于时间知觉的主要理论是关于线性时间而不是非线性时间的。了解非线性现象如何影响时间知觉将是第一次触手可及。有必要了解计时机制，因为计时涉及行为的许多方面。由于时间知觉的主要理论是建立在线性时间而不是非线性时间的基础上，因此识别非线性时间加工的机制有望对该领域产生重大影响。

The long-term objective of the project is to identify the cognitive mechanisms of time perception. The specific aims of this proposal are to identify the pharmacological mechanisms of dopaminergic and cholinergic modulation of time estimation and to identify the source (clock or memory) of non-linearities in timing. The rationale underlying these aims is that, without identify the source of non-linear processes in timing, it is not possible to provide a complete understanding of time perception. The central hypothesis of the proposed research is that the source of non-linearities may be identified by using behavioral and pharmacological manipulations that independently evaluate clock and memory processes. Pharmacological specificity will be established using multiple selective agonists and antagonists. To examine non-linear processes, it is necessary to examine many, closely spaced interval conditions. Non-linearities in clock and memory mechanisms will be dissociated by examining potential shifts in non-linearities under pharmacological manipulations. The overall outcome will be a precise statement of which timing component is non-linear. This result is expected to have a significant impact on the field because major theories of time perception were found on linear rather than non-linear timing. Understanding how non-linear phenomena affect time perception would be within reach for the first time. It is necessary to understand timing mechanisms because timing is involved in many aspects of behavior. Identifying the mechanisms of non-linear temporal processing is expected to have a significant impact on the field because major theories of time perception were founded on liner rather than non-linear timing.