Project description
Human decisions under the microscope
Our world is so complex, yet some people manage to adapt to changes while others do not. What are the neural mechanisms with which our brain manages to adapt decisions and actions to any obstacles that may arise? The ERC-funded MediCoDe project aims to answer this question. To do so, it will use new methods like brain stimulation with focused ultrasound. The core area of interest is the posterior medial frontal cortex – a region of the brain responsible for human cognitive control that enables us to evaluate or correct our choices in front of obstacles or goals. The findings will lead to an important advance in the understanding of healthy and pathologically altered brain functions.
Objective
Cognitive control enables humans to flexibly adapt their behavior for goal achievement. Despite intensive research we still miss an overarching understanding of cognitive control and its main underlying structure, the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC). This is due to insufficient consideration of pMFC neuroanatomy, its subregions and individual variability; low sensitivity of conventional group-level studies; diffuse use of multiple methods and paradigms in disparate studies impeding differentiation of general cognitive-control principles from study idiosyncrasies; sparsity of causal evidence in humans.
This project proposes a radical shift in tackling these issues by two novel approaches:
A) Within-subject multimodal dense sampling and representational modeling considering individual neuroanatomy will provide a fine-grained spatiotemporal mapping of representations of cognitive-control and decision-making variables to connectivity-based pMFC subregions and enable discriminating between competing theories. The rationale is that representations of latent constructs of cognitive control must generalize across tasks and contexts. In multiple sessions behavior, fMRI, EEG, eye movements and autonomic reactions are recorded while participants perform tasks enabling to estimate cognitive control variables (CCV) from behavior and computational models. Representational similarity analysis of CCVs across tasks and modalities in a regression framework will identify signatures of core theoretical components of cognitive control.
B) A novel stimulation method using low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) noninvasively modulates neuronal activity in deep brain structures with excellent spatial resolution. tFUS combined with EEG and fMRI will causally test the necessity of CCV representations in pMFC and its network for adaptive behavior.
The project will open up new research avenues to address individual differences and pathological changes in cognitive control.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2020-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
39106 Magdeburg
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.