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

Informazioni relative al progetto

Learning2Learn

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 101031746

DOI

10.3030/101031746

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 10 Marzo 2021

Data di avvio 1 Aprile 2021

Data di completamento 31 Marzo 2023

Finanziato da

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Costo totale

€ 191 149,44

Contributo UE

€ 191 149,44

Coordinato da

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Switzerland

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

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-04-01 al 2023-03-31

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

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.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

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.

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

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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