Complex decisions and the brain: an experimental and theoretical approach

这个提议的目的是扩展我们对决策的理解， 到目前为止已经被研究过了。在指导阶段，我使用了一个实验和理论 研究受试者如何将感官证据整合到简单决策中的方法。研究提出， 这里将探讨受试者如何为更复杂的决策整合证据-特别是， 感官证据不仅来自视觉系统（单一线索决定），而且来自听觉系统。 系统（提示集成决策）。虽然人们已经知道一段时间，视觉可以 由于受到其他形式的影响，这种现象背后的神经机制在很大程度上仍然是未知的。 为了研究线索整合背后的神经机制，我将使用速率判别决策 任务我将研究受试者决策的速度和准确性如何变化， 信息被呈现给视觉系统、听觉系统或两者。因为关于 任务中的速率是嘈杂和不可靠的，如果他们整合，受试者可能会做出更好的决定 两种模式的信息。 我将记录动物在完成任务时顶叶皮层的电生理反应。 此外，我将使用理论模型来问：是否单一线索与线索上的行为差异 整合任务是否可以用两种任务的不同电生理反应来解释？ 到目前为止，我的训练使我非常适合这项工作：我有丰富的经验， 在清醒的动物身上做生理学实验此外，由于指导阶段，我获得了 在理论建模方面的专业知识，并开发了分析工具，这将是至关重要的解释， 生理数据

The goal of this proposal Is to extend our understanding of decision-making beyond the simple paradigms that have been studied thus far. During the mentored phase, I used an experimental and theoretical approach to examine how subjects Integrate sensory evidence for simple decisions. The research proposed here will explore how subjects Integrate evidence for more complex decisions- in particular, decisions where the sensory evidence comes not only from the visual system (single cue decisions), but from the auditory system as well (cue Integration decisions). While it has been known for some time that vision can be influenced by other modalities, the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unknown. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying cue integration, I will use a rate discrimination decision task. I will examine how the speed and accuracy of subjects' decisions changes depending on whether rate information is presented to the visual system, the auditory system, or both. Because the information about rate in the task is noisy and unreliable, subjects can potentially make better decisions if they integrate information from the two modalities. I will record electrophysiological responses from parietal cortex as the animals are engaged in the task. Further, I will use theoretical models to ask: can the behavioral differences on the single-cue vs cue integration tasks be explained by the different electrophysiological responses on the two tasks? My training thus far makes me ideally suited for this endeavor: I have extensive experience conducting physiology experiments in awake, behaving animals. Further, because of the mentored phase, I have gained expertise in theoretical modeling and have developed analysis tools that will be critical for interpreting the physiological data.