Neurophysiology and Computational Modeling of ActionObservation
ABSTRACT
2014 Grants Economics and Administrative Sciences
In this project we aim to challenge the current mirror neuron -MN- theory and to reach a better explanation of the MN
phenomenon. For this we will take advantage of computational modeling and single cell recording method that provides
information of high temporal resolution about the signals carried by neurons and is the most suitable technique to yield
information about the high level functions of the primate brain, as well as providing the most precise data for computational
modelling. This information will beinterpreted with a computational modelling perspective to reveal causally complete
description of the brain mechanisms responsible for action understanding. The activity of single neurons will be recorded
from the premotor areas F5 and F2, as well as from the primary motor cortex (MI) of trained macaque monkeys that will either
perform themselves or obeserve the experimenter executing reaching-to-grasp movements in order to: (i) both characterize
the observation elicited response of F5 neurons by assessing the response triggering features of the observed movement
as well as the timing relationship between the response and the movement, and to provide precise data for computational
modelling (ii) explore whether F2 and MI contain neurons responding to observation, characterize their observation elicited
responses and compare them with those of area F5. The data obtained from the experiments will be used to construct a
computational model of the action understanding process. The model will address cortical dynamics at diverse levels (i.e.
neural, regional or network scale) and will comply with the empirical data (high temporal resolution signals obtained in the
present study and available in the literature).
Doç. Dr.
Erhan Öztop
DEPARTMENT
Computer Science
CONTACT
[email protected]
FUNDING SCHEME
TÜBİTAK 2520 -GSRT
START DATE
01.10.2013
DURATION
24 months
OZU BUDGET
54.268.00 TL
78