视觉系统学习和适应的计算模型

Adaptation and life-long learning are hallmarks of human intelligent behavior, however, the neural mechanisms underlying different forms of adaptation and experience-dependent modifications of cognitive capacities remain largely unknown. Although massive amount of neural data is generated by recent experimental techniques, existing theories and models for the adaptability and development of cognitive functions are often too abstract to be directly compared to experimental data. In this project, we aim to use mathematical models and computer simulations, based on the known experimental data, to systematically investigate the adaptive learning behaviors of the visual system at three different levels and time scales. They are: 1) the developmental mechanism of the primary visual cortex of mice in the critical period induced by external stimuli; 2) the adaptive optimization of neural population coding strategy in the primary visual cortex of awake monkeys when they are trained to learn a two-week long perception task; and 3) the life-long adaptability of the face recognition system to cross-species faces in chimpanzees. The applicant has many years' experiences in neural modeling and data analysis, has been working in China for four years, and has established long-term collaboration relationship with the experimental groups related to the above three research directions. We hope this project will help us to finally understand the neural mechanisms of adaptation and learning in the brain.

适应和伴随终生的学习能力是人类智力行为的重要体现，但我们对大脑如何产生各种形式的适应性变化以及通过经验提高认知能力的神经机制还极不清楚。近年来由于实验技术的提高，积累了海量的神经活动数据；但已有的认知理论和模型通常都太过抽象，不能和神经生物学实验结果直接比较。在本课题中，我们致力于用数学模型和计算机仿真的方法，紧密结合实验数据，系统地研究视觉系统在三个层面和时间尺度的适应性学习行为。它们是：1）大鼠初级视皮层在关键期受外界刺激诱导的发育机制；2）清醒猴初级视皮层在长达两周的感知任务训练中神经元群编码机制的适应性优化过程；和3）大猩猩伴随终生的对非同类脸识别策略的适应性变化。申请人有多年的神经网络建模和数据分析的研究经历，已在中国工作四年，并且和以上三个研究方向相关的实验课题组建立了长期的合作关系。我们希望该课题的完成能帮助人们最终认识大脑学习和适应的神经机制。

适应和伴随终生的学习能力是人类智力行为的重要体现，但我们对大脑如何产生各种形式的适应性变化以及通过经验提高认知能力的神经机制还极不清楚。.近年来由于实验技术的提高，积累了海量的神经活动数据；但已有的认知理论和模型通常都太过抽象，不能和神经生物学实验结果直接比较。.在本课题中，我们致力于用数学模型和计算机仿真的方法，紧密结合实验数据，系统地研究视觉系统在三个层面和时间尺度的适应性学习行为。它们是：.1）大鼠初级视皮层在关键期受外界刺激诱导的发育机制；.2)清醒猴初级视皮层在长达两周的感知任务训练中神经元群编码机制的适应性优化过程；.3）大猩猩伴随终生的对非同类脸识别策略的适应性变化。