A5064316283- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Cognitive Science and Mapping
- Action Observation and Synchronization
- Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Free Will and Agency
- Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations
- Health and Medical Research Impacts
- Human-Automation Interaction and Safety
- Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Aesthetic Perception and Analysis
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Scientific Computing and Data Management
- Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Academic Writing and Publishing
- Neural Networks and Applications
- Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
University of Oxford
2017-2024
University of Birmingham
2022-2024
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging
2019-2021
Ghent University
2012-2017
Duke University
2016-2017
Ghent University Hospital
2014
Task preparation has traditionally been thought to rely upon persistent representations of instructions that permit their execution after delays. Accumulating evidence suggests, however, accurate retention task knowledge can be insufficient for successful performance. Here, we hypothesized instructed facts would organized into a set; temporary coding scheme proactively tunes sensorimotor pathways according enable highly efficient "reflex-like" We devised paradigm requiring either...
Humans can navigate flexibly to meet their goals. Here, we asked how the neural representation of allocentric space is distorted by goal-directed behavior. Participants navigated an agent two successive goal locations in a grid world environment comprising four interlinked rooms, with contextual cue indicating conditional dependence one location on another. Examining geometry which room and context were encoded fMRI signals, found that map-like representations emerged both hippocampus...
Cognitive flexibility is critical for intelligent behavior. However, its execution effortful and often suboptimal. Recent work indicates that flexible behavior can be improved by the prospect of reward, which suggests rewards optimize control processes. Here we investigated how different reward prospects influence neural encoding task rule information to cognitive flexibility. We applied representational similarity analysis human electroencephalograms, recorded while female male participants...
Working memory (WM) is important for guiding behaviour, but not always the next possible action. Here we define a WM item that currently relevant behaviour as functionally "active" item; whereas items maintained in WM, immediately to are defined "latent". Traditional neurophysiological theories of proposed content via persistent neural activity (e.g., stable attractors); however, more recent have highlighted potential role "activity-silent" mechanisms short-term synaptic plasticity). Given...
Extensive research has examined how information is maintained in working memory (WM), but it remains unknown WM used to guide behavior. We addressed this question by combining human electrophysiology (50 subjects, male and female) with pattern analyses, cognitive modeling, a task requiring the prolonged maintenance of two items priority shifts between them. This enabled us discern neural states coding for memories that were selected next decision from concurrently held later use, examine...
Cognitive flexibility is crucial for adaptive human behaviour. Prior studies have analysed the effect of reward on cognitive flexibility; however, neural mechanisms underlying these effects remain largely unknown. This study explores how influences oscillations and changes impact behavioural performance. Using time-frequency decomposition, we examined electroencephalographic data from participants engaged in rule-guided task-switching with varying prospects. Higher anticipated rewards lead...
Weakening belief in the concept of free will yields pronounced effects upon social behavior, typically promoting selfish and aggressive over pro-social helping tendencies. Belief manipulations have furthermore been shown to modulate basic unconscious processes involved motor control self-regulation. Yet, date, it remains unclear how high-level beliefs can impact such a wide range behaviors. Here, we tested hypothesis that priming disbelief diminishes sense agency, i.e., intrinsic sensation...
Cognitive control is thought to rely upon a set of distributed brain regions within frontoparietal cortex, but the functional contributions these remain elusive. Here, we investigated disruptive effects transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over human prefrontal and parietal cortices in task preparation at different abstraction levels. While participants completed task-switching paradigm that assessed reconfiguration goals response sets independently, TMS was applied left inferior frontal...
Ideomotor theory states that the formation of anticipatory representations about perceptual consequences an action [i.e., action-effect (A-E) binding] provides functional basis voluntary control. A host studies have demonstrated A-E binding occurs fast and effortlessly, yet little is known cognitive affective factors influence this learning process. In present study, we sought to test whether motivational value modulates acquisition associations. To end, linked specific actions with monetary...
The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) plays a central role in the prioritization of sensory input based on task relevance. Such top-down control perception is fundamental importance goal-directed behavior, but can also be costly when deployed excessively, necessitating mechanism that regulates engagement to align it with changing environmental demands. We have recently introduced “flexible model” (FCM), which explains this regulation as resulting from self-adjusting reinforcement-learning...
Humans sometimes have an insight that leads to a sudden and drastic performance improvement on the task they are working on. Sudden strategy adaptations often linked insights, considered be unique aspect of human cognition tied complex processes such as creativity or meta-cognitive reasoning. Here, we take learning perspective ask whether insight-like behaviour can occur in simple artificial neural networks, even when models only learn form input-output associations through gradual gradient...
Abstract Humans can navigate flexibly to meet their goals. Here, we asked how the neural representation of allocentric space is distorted by goal-directed behaviour. Participants navigated an agent two successive goal locations in a grid world environment comprising four interlinked rooms, with contextual cue indicating conditional dependence one location on another. Examining geometry which room and context were encoded fMRI signals, found that map-like representations emerged both...
Humans sometimes have an insight that leads to a sudden and drastic performance improvement on the task they are working on. Sudden strategy adaptations often linked insights, considered be unique aspect of human cognition tied complex processes such as creativity or meta-cognitive reasoning. Here, we take learning perspective ask whether insight-like behaviour can occur in simple artificial neural networks, even when models only learn form input-output associations through gradual gradient...
The transition to principal investigator (PI), or lab leader, can be challenging, partially due the need fulfil new managerial and leadership responsibilities. One key aspect of this role, which is often not explicitly discussed, creating a supportive environment. Here, we present ten simple rules guide PI in development their own positive thriving atmosphere. These were written voted on collaboratively, by students mentees Professor Mark Stokes, who inspired piece.
Working memory (WM) is important for guiding behaviour, but not always immediately. Here we define a WM item that currently relevant behaviour as the functionally ‘active’ item; whereas items maintained in WM, immediately to are ‘latent’. Traditional neurophysiological theories of proposed content via persistent neural activity (e.g., stable attractors); however, more recent have highlighted potential role ‘activity-silent’ mechanisms short-term synaptic plasticity). Given these somewhat...
Abstract Cognitive flexibility is critical for intelligent behaviour. However, its execution effortful and often suboptimal. Recent work indicates that flexible behaviour can be improved by the prospect of reward, which suggests rewards optimise control processes. Here we investigated how different reward prospects influence neural encoding task rule information to cognitive flexibility. We applied representational similarity analysis (RSA) human electroencephalograms, recorded while female...
Abstract Extensive research has examined how information is maintained in working memory (WM), but it remains unknown WM used to guide behaviour. We addressed this question by combining human electrophysiology with pattern analyses, cognitive modelling, and a task requiring maintenance of two items priority shifts between them. This enabled us discern neural states coding for immediately prospectively task-relevant items, examine their contribution WM-based decisions. identified...
Working memory (WM) is the ability to keep information online for a forthcoming task. WM theories have tended focus on how sensory maintained, and less content used guiding behaviour. Here we ask if supported by transformation of memoranda into task-sets that are optimised task-dependent responses. Thirty participants performed two different tasks; they remembered tilt oriented bars either rotation-discrimination task or change-detection Task context was instructed in advance (fixed blocks)...