Most researchers in neuroscience use animal models. Though most neuroscientists are interested in understanding the human brain, they can use more invasive techniques with animal brains. In exchange for these invasive abilities they must assume that other animals are similar enough to humans that they can actually learn something about humans in the process. Functional …
Continue reading “Eliminating Common Misconceptions About fMRI”
Most neuroscience writing touts statements like 'the human brain is the most complex object in the universe'. This serves only to paint the brain as a mysterious, seemingly unknowable structure. This is somehow comforting to some, but it's not for me. I want to understand this thing! Here are some facts to demystify the brain …
In my most recent post I gave an overview of the "simple recurrent network" (SRN), but I'd like to take a step back and talk about neuromodeling in general. In particular I'd like to talk about why neuromodeling is going to be instrumental in bringing about the cognitive revolution in neuroscience. A principal goal of …
Continue reading “Computational models of cognition in neural systems: WHY?”
My latest scientific publication is entitled Selection and maintenance of stimulus–response rules during preparation and performance of a spatial choice-reaction task (authors: Schumacher, Cole, and D'Esposito). It is a study using functional MRI with humans to investigate how we prepare for and execute willful action. In this post I'll attempt to translate the article's findings …
Continue reading “The neural basis of preparation for willful action”
