Measuring behavioural and neurological changes of human spatial orientation

测量人类空间定向的行为和神经变化

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-03890
• 负责人: Iaria, Giuseppe
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=764045
• 关键词: Measuring; behavioural; neurological; changes; human

Finding the way around is a complex behaviour that is crucial for our daily life. Such behaviour is mostly supported by the ability of the individuals to form a mental representation of the environment, i.e. a cognitive map. Cognitive maps are critical for effective navigation since, once formed, they allow us to reach any target location by following any route available within the environment, including the ones not previously travelled. Although the behavioural and neurological mechanisms related to the human ability to form cognitive maps are mostly known, to date, the mechanisms related to the malleability and improvement of such a fundamental cognitive skill remain unknown. The main objective of this proposal is to examine the behavioural and neurological effects of improving the ability to form cognitive maps in children and young adults; testing in these two specific populations would allow verifying the general hypothesis that malleability of spatial orientation skills is higher at a critical developmental stage in which children are starting to develop their ability to orient by means of cognitive maps in large-scale surroundings. To achieve these goals, we will perform a series of studies to measure behavioural and neurological changes following a newly developed cognitive training program (in a video game-like virtual environment) aiming to improve the ability to form cognitive maps. Before and after undergoing the training program, participants will perform a behavioural assessment (including the ability to form cognitive maps), and a neuroimaging session measuring changes in Blood Oxygenated Level Dependent (BOLD) signal (i.e. indirect measure of neural activity) in regions that are known to be critical for spatial orientation and navigation. The significance of our research will be twofold: first, it will document the very first behavioural and neurological changes occurring with the training of the ability to form cognitive maps, which is a foundational skill for effective orientation and navigation; second, it will provide the very first evidence shedding light on the diverse malleability of such important cognitive skill in children and young adults. This research program will be pivotal for understanding the relationship between behavioural and neurological changes, a topic of particular interest for the development of technologically advanced systems assisting humans with their ability to orient and navigate large-scale spatial surroundings.

寻找解决办法是一种复杂的行为，对我们的日常生活至关重要。这种行为主要是由个人形成环境心理表征（即认知地图）的能力支持的。认知地图对于有效导航至关重要，因为一旦形成，它们使我们能够沿着环境中可用的任何路线（包括以前未走过的路线）到达任何目标位置。尽管与人类形成认知地图的能力相关的行为和神经机制大多为人所知，但迄今为止，与这种基本认知技能的可塑性和改善相关的机制仍然未知。该提案的主要目的是检查提高儿童和年轻人形成认知图的能力对行为和神经的影响；在这两个特定人群中进行的测试将验证一个普遍假设，即在儿童开始发展在大范围环境中通过认知地图进行定向的能力的关键发展阶段，空间定向技能的可塑性更高。为了实现这些目标，我们将在新开发的认知训练计划（在类似视频游戏的虚拟环境中）之后进行一系列研究来测量行为和神经变化，旨在提高形成认知图的能力。在接受培训计划之前和之后，参与者将进行行为评估（包括形成认知图的能力），以及神经影像学课程，测量以下区域的血氧水平依赖性（BOLD）信号（即神经活动的间接测量）的变化已知对于空间定向和导航至关重要。我们的研究具有双重意义：首先，它将记录在训练形成认知地图的能力时发生的最初的行为和神经变化，这是有效定向和导航的基本技能；其次，它将提供第一个证据，揭示儿童和年轻人如此重要的认知技能的不同可塑性。该研究计划对于理解行为和神经变化之间的关系至关重要，这是开发技术先进的系统特别感兴趣的主题，这些系统可以帮助人类定向和导航大规模空间环境。