Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Cognitive control allows us to stay focused on a task or turn our attention from one thing to another. We use cognitive control continuously in our daily lives, yet how the brain allows us to have this flexibility is still unknown. Activation of cognitive brain networks, rather than individual brain areas, is critical for optimal cognitive control. However, exactly how activity within and between these cognitive networks occurs is unclear. The current proposal focuses on training and research related to the claustrum, a small, poorly understood brain region, that is highly connected with multiple brain areas and might be key to cognitive control. Our group has been studying the claustrum for several years and have developed novel neuroimaging methods for doing so. We recently developed a theoretical model of claustrum function based on all the existing literature on the claustrum. The long-term vision of my research program is to develop approaches to understand the role of the claustrum in cognitive control and other behaviours. In the next five years we will test our theoretical model using a combination of existing human and monkey functional MRI datasets, collecting new data using repeated scanning of individuals at high magnetic field (known as precision mapping), and examining data across rest and multiple tasks using advanced analytical techniques. These studies would demonstrate that the claustrum serves an essential role in cognitive control, thereby finally clarifying the function of this mysterious brain region. There are only a few laboratories worldwide with a research focus on the claustrum and thus it offers a unique training experience that should attract a diverse group of individuals to the field. My research program will provide extensive training opportunities to high quality personnel at various career stages. The skills trainees will acquire include use of programming languages, advanced statistical analysis, and functional MRI study design and data analysis.