Project description
Unravelling perceptual inference and predictive processing
The cognitive abilities of the brain are quite remarkable. Multiple domains, such as visual processing, attention and mental simulation, coupled with sensory perception, enable us to infer properties of our environment. This perceptual inference involves a statistical hierarchical synthesis of sensory information with empirical knowledge: in theory, predictive processing. The ERC-funded PREDICTION project intends to develop a computational model of the hierarchical processing that influences inference in vision-related brain areas and to identify the way feedback connections facilitate generative cognitive functions. Using a novel multidisciplinary approach that includes molecular biology, psychophysics, precision viral tracing and optogenetics, it will create a realistic model to describe the functional circuits supporting hierarchical processing and their role in active vision.
Objective
The human brain exhibits remarkable cognitive abilities, such as imagery, attention and mental simulation, which along with perception reflect our capacity to infer properties of the world. Perceptual inference involves a statistical hierarchical synthesis of information from the senses with prior knowledge of the world. There is empirical evidence in favour of Predictive Processing where functional interaction of descending pathways carrying top-down prediction and precision signals interaction with the ascending pathways to generative prediction errors. PREDICTION will develop a mechanistic and computational understanding of the hierarchical processing underlying inference in vision-related human brain areas and will establish how feedback connections enable generative cognitive functions.
Unravelling the neural mechanisms of high-level visual cognitive functions requires novel ways of thinking about biological information processing and an integrated effort to measure and model cognitive functions at multiple brain scales. PREDICTON accomplishes this by integrating concepts and advanced methods from multiple disciplines: 1) Molecular biology to characterise projection cell-types. 2) Psychophysics and sub-millimetre ultra-high-field functional imaging of cortical layers and columns in the human brain, 3) Precision viral tracing to investigate the anatomical origins and targets of generative networks in non-human primates (NHP), 4) Spatio-temporal controlled activation of genetically identified feedback pathways with optogenetics together in multi-areal laminar recordings in NHPs, 4) Biologically realistic multi-scale computational modelling.
PREDICTION will describe the functional circuits supporting hierarchical processing and their role in active vision. This will take us to the heart of cortical function and its causative role in perception, cognition, and decision-making, relative to a range of pathologies as well as to understand what makes us human.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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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)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2023-ADG
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75654 PARIS
France
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