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Special Lecture by Prof. Xiao-Jing Wang will be held on Mar 28, 2014.

Special Lecture by Prof. Xiao-Jing Wang will be held on Mar 28, 2014 in Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto university.
Date: Friday, March 28th . 4:00 p.m.-
Place: Large Conference Room at Kyoto University Inamori Center (MAP)
Speaker: Xiao-Jing Wang, Ph.D
Provost and Professor at New York University – Shanghai and Professor at Center for Neural Science, New York Univesity, USA
For more information
Title : The prefrontal cortex as a quintessential “cognitive-type” circuit
Abstract :
Kevin Martin and Rodney Douglas and others have proposed that
there is a canonical microcircuit in the mammalian neocortex.
However, even though cortical areas share the same architecture,
quantitatively different properties may give rise to qualitatively
different dynamics and computations. In this talk, I will summarize
a number of works that have given rise to the concept of a “cognitive-
type” cortical microcircuit capable of working memory and decision-
making, in contrast to early sensory processing. I will discuss
experimental tests of this model (mixed selectivity, the role of NMDA
receptors), and open issues (the dynamical nature of persistent
activity). Then, I will show how such local circuits, endowed with
reward-dependent synaptic plasticity, can be used as building blocks
for a variety of higher brain functions, such as rule-based task switching.
Contact: Shintaro Funahashi, Kokoro Research Center; funahashi.shintaro.2z[ at mark] kyoto-u.ac.jp

2014/02/25

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