Modality-independent representations of object shape in macaque inferotemporal cortex

猕猴下颞叶皮层物体形状的模态无关表示

• 批准号: 10679530
• 负责人: William Grayson Snider
• 金额: $ 4.77万
• 依托单位: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-30 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10679530
• 关键词: 3-Dimensional; 3D Print; Address; Anatomy; Area; Auditory; Awareness; Bilateral; Brain; Cells; Code; Complex; Cues; Development; Electrophysiology (science); Environment; Exposure to; Face; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Generations; Hand; Homologous Gene; Human; Image; Implant; Individual; Knowledge; Lateral; Lesion; Location; Macaca; Memory; Modality; Neurons; Pathway interactions; Perception; Positioning Attribute; Process; Research; Resolution; Robotics; Role; Sensory; Shapes; Stimulus; Tactile; Testing; Touch sensation; Vision; Visual; Visual Agnosias; Visual Pathways; arm; experience; grasp; haptics; inferotemporal cortex; neural; neuromechanism; neuroprosthesis; next generation; novel; object recognition; object shape; recruit; sensory input; visual information; visual processing

Project Summary Accurate shape perception is crucial to identifying and manipulating objects in our environment. Among our senses, vision and touch are unique in that they both convey geometric shape. Although haptic and visual sensory inputs are initially processed along distinct sensory pathways, we experience an object’s shape as a unified, modality-independent percept. How the brain generates modality-independent representations of shape remains unknown. Human fMRI studies have identified the lateral occipital complex (LOC) as a key area for visuo-haptic integration, yet the low spatial resolution of fMRI has failed to reveal the neural code used for representing object shape. To address this knowledge gap, I propose to study the representations of haptic and visual shapes in macaque inferotemporal cortex (IT), the homologue of human LOC. Specifically, I will test the hypothesis that macaque IT creates modality-independent representations of haptic and visual shapes. To this end, I will record the simultaneous activity of multiple neurons in IT while macaques are exposed to objects presented as visual images or as 3D-printed haptic objects. First, I will identify if and how IT neurons represent haptic shapes. Second, I will explore the neural basis of visuo-haptic shape representations in IT. By elucidating the neural mechanisms by which IT generates modality-independent shape representations, this research will shed light on how the brain is able to recognize shapes across sensory modalities. Furthermore, the findings of this project will support the development of next-generation neuroprosthetic implants that can leverage both haptic and visual sensory input.

项目概要 准确的形状感知对于识别和操纵我们环境中的物体至关重要。 感官、视觉和触觉的独特之处在于它们都传达几何形状，尽管触觉和视觉。 感官输入最初是沿着不同的感官路径进行处理的，我们将物体的形状体验为 统一的、与模态无关的感知。大脑如何生成与模态无关的表征。 人类功能磁共振成像研究已将外侧枕叶复合体 (LOC) 确定为关键区域。 用于视觉触觉整合，但功能磁共振成像的低空间分辨率未能揭示用于视觉触觉整合的神经代码 为了解决这个知识差距，我建议研究触觉的表示。 以及猕猴颞下皮层（IT）的视觉形状，它是人类 LOC 的同源物，具体来说，我将进行测试。 假设猕猴 IT 创建与模态无关的触觉和视觉形状表示。 为此，我将记录猕猴接触物体时 IT 中多个神经元的同时活动 首先，我将确定 IT 神经元是否以及如何表示。 其次，我将探讨 IT 中视觉触觉形状表征的神经基础。 阐明了 IT 生成与模态无关的形状表示的神经机制，这 研究将揭示大脑如何能够跨感官模式识别形状。此外， 该项目的研究结果将支持下一代神经假体植入物的开发，该植入物可以 利用触觉和视觉感官输入。