PROJECTS

Cognitive control entails aligning our behaviors with contextual circumstances and long-term goals.

 

Working memory is the mental space that forms the basis of rational thought.

 

Prefrontal cortex is the apex of the brain, providing the foundation for higher-level cognition.

NEE LAB

 

The prefrontal cortex is involved in virtually all higher-level cognitive activities. However, how the various sub-regions of the prefrontal cortex support higher-level cognition remains a mystery. Our hypothesis is that the prefrontal cortex has a systematic organization that can be used as a framework to understand its function. We seek to identify factors that reveal gradients of function across the extent of the prefrontal cortex. We examine how inter-communication among sub-regions of the prefrontal cortex support these functions. We use brain stimulation to causally manipulate sub-regions of the prefrontal cortex and observe the consequences on network activity and behavior. Collectively, these approaches allow us to model the functions of the prefrontal cortex and their relationship to behavior.

Functional Organization of the Prefrontal Cortex

Dynamics of Working Memory

Working memory involves the maintenance and manipulation of information in the service of ongoing cognition. It is a dynamic system, responsible for the transformation of percepts into thought into action. We examine the neural underpinnings of these dynamic processes. We hypothesize that typical uses of working memory for such functions as mental arithmetic involve a complex juggling act that recruits virtually the entire brain, from perceptual systems, to memory systems, to integrative systems. We chart out the interplay between these systems that forms the basis of working memory and track the transformation of working memory representations along their trajectory from perception to action.

TECHNIQUES

Florida State University . Department of Psychology