Learning to Learn - Medial Prefrontal Cortex as Meta-Learning System in the Brain

Informations projet

Learning2Learn

N° de convention de subvention: 101031746

DOI

10.3030/101031746

Projet clôturé

Date de signature de la CE 10 Mars 2021

Date de début 1 Avril 2021

Date de fin 31 Mars 2023

Financé au titre de

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Coût total

€ 191 149,44

Contribution de l’UE

€ 191 149,44

Coordonné par

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Switzerland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Learning2Learn (Learning to Learn - Medial Prefrontal Cortex as Meta-Learning System in the Brain)

Période du rapport: 2021-04-01 au 2023-03-31

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

Survival and adaptation to a changing environment is driven by the ability of animals and humans to utilise prior knowledge to quickly learn new behaviours (forward generalisation). However, the mechanism by which the brain combines old information with new input remains elusive. The EU-funded Learning2Learn project aims to elucidate the role of the medial prefrontal cortex in quick adaptation to new situations by forward generalisation. The proposed mechanism is inspired by a theoretical machine-learning framework for artificial neural networks and will be investigated by combining cutting-edge experimental techniques to unveil the brain's learning mechanism. The overall objectives of the project are to understand what information is conveyed from prefrontal cortex to sensory cortices and if and how this promotes forward generalisation.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

As part of the project a behavioural paradigm to study forward generalization in mice was designed and implemented. The paradigm was combined with recordings from prefrontal cortex, that will give insight in what information is processed in prefrontal cortex during the task and how the processing changes when the mice learn the task and must forward generalise.

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

The insight we will gain from the experiments performed in the described project will help us to understand how the brain utilises previous knowledge to quickly adapt to new situations.

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