- Neuronal mechanisms of brain module dynamics: This research elucidates the hierarchical modular organizations of cerebral association cortices and the dynamic interactions of modules in cognition. It also aims to study the binding problem of modular process, i.e., how separate, modular processes can account for the apparent unity of perception and unity of mind. Imagery and memory will be mainly used as a model system in this research through the activation of the human brain revealed by EP-MRI; activation of the primate brain visualized by optical recording techniques; and the simultaneous activation of neuron clusters detected by unit recordings.
- Cognitive processes and activation of brain modules: This research attempts to show how the brain can compute at all by revealing, in certain specific domains, how the brain computes with language, while -- at the same time -- challenging the field of linguistics to speculate on the possible connections between linguistic theories and the sort of data that arise from noninvasive brain imaging techniques. Thus we envisage a cluster of research efforts feeding into brain-imaging experiments and exploiting the results of these experiments involving linguistic studies of the knowledge of language and of the initial state of a child learning language; developmental studies of language acquisition in normal and impaired children; and processing and psychoacoustic studies of language perception and use.
- Brain modules of language and thought: This research explores a possibility of articulating mind/brain by exploiting the empirical results and theoretical advances from the work on neuronal mechanisms and cognitive processes. In particular, we will focus on visual language processing (reading), since reading combines the problem of visual and linguistic processing and memory. Research here will involve activation of the human brain during reading, and theoretical analyses of brain activation studies.
These studies will provide detailed knowledge about the hierarchically organized modular structures of cognitive processing in the brain. Although the research is limited to vision, memory and language, the mechanisms of dynamic inter-modular interactions presumably underlie all cognitive activity. Answers here should provide a general understanding of how the brain serves the mind and thus how thinking is possible. Practically, this understanding should help us in the diagnosis and treatment of various mental disorders and genetically determined cognitive deficits. More importantly, we hope to provide a deeper understanding of that which makes Homo Sapiens human beings.
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