Objective
In daily life, the trade-off between exploration of alternative opportunities and exploitation of the benefits of the choice at hand is encountered often. While the ability of mammals to switch to explorative courses of action has been extensively studied in machine learning and ethology fields, much less attention in neuroscience has been given to understanding how the brain mediates such decisions in humans. To date, no mechanism has been put forward. The proposed project seeks to understand how communication among neural regions gives rise to switches to explorative behavior, or decisions to take alternative choices about which the reward probabilities are uncertain, during a learning task. The project will use transcranial direct current stimulation to test specific hypotheses about the interactions among cortical regions and their effects on exploratory behavior. Behavior will be modeled using a Bayesian learning algorithm and neural activity before and after stimulation will be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The mechanistic relationships among neural regions and behavior will be examined using dynamic causal modeling , a technique that was developed at the host institution. The results of the project will sketch out a mechanistic model of explorative decision making at the neural systems level. Understanding how brain regions causally interact during exploration will narrow a critical gap in basic neuroscientific knowledge of exploration and exploit. Our approach may also have direct applications to clinical neurology. The temporary inhibition of frontal regions could serve to simulate neuropathological insults resulting in deficits in task switching and stereotyped behaviors. Knowledge gained by studying this model system may then be applied in the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine clinical neurology
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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.
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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF
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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.
Coordinator
Zürich
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.