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Project

Functional interactions across attention regions: a combined optogenetic, fMRI and electrophysiology study.

Visual attention improves behavioral performance by allowing subjects to focus on the most relevant information in complex scenes. To improve our understanding of the neuronal underpinnings underlying selective spatial attention, we aim to investigate the behavioral and functional impact of very short interruptions of activity in key nodes of the brain’s attention network during performance of attention tasks. First, we will use high resolution functional imaging to map the brain network activated during two versions of a covert spatial attention task whereby the subject is either cued to a location in the visual field using easy salient cues, or alternatively using difficult symbolic cues. Guided by these whole-brain maps, we will target electrophysiological recordings to different brain sites to characterize the neuronal response properties and interactions between simultaneously recorded single neurons in different nodes of the attention network. Next, to unravel the importance of these brain nodes during task performance, we will employ highly novel light-induced reversible perturbation methods to inactivate these regions during different cognitive components of the attention task, with currently the highest spatio-temporal precision possible. In summary, we will study causal interactions across important nodes of the attention network at different spatio-temporal scales and how altered activity causally relates to functional network changes and behavioral performance.

Date:1 Jan 2017 →  31 Dec 2020
Keywords:attention regions, optogenetic, fMRI, electrophysiology
Disciplines:Neurosciences, Biological and physiological psychology, Cognitive science and intelligent systems, Developmental psychology and ageing