The Emergence of Perceptual Categories at Forebrain Level (B05)

• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: from 2010 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 122679504

This project involves a systems-level approach that analyses, from the level of single neurons to the whole forebrain, the ability of pigeons to categorise visual objects. The first two project objectives will use single unit recordings from visual-associative and prefrontal forebrain areas while the animals see and/or categorise visual stimuli. In the third project objective, the activity patterns of the prefrontal area will be modulated via optogenetics, while recording from visual areas. Project goals 4-6 use essentially the same procedure (incl. optogenetics) but implement fMRI, such that the systems level activation and connectivity patterns can be visualised and analysed.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 874: Integration and Representation of Sensory Processes
• Applicant Institution: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Onur Güntürkün