Grant: CIHR Fellowship

When an action has an unintended result, we can adjust our future behaviour to get the desired result. Cognitive control enables such corrections, but minor disruptions yield debilitating disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The medial frontal cortex (MFC) is critical for cognitive control, but the roles of the cingulate cortex (CC) and the supplementary motor complex (SMC) remain confused. Schall's laboratory has distinguished the functional properties of SMC (e.g. Sajad et al. 2022, 2019) and CC (e.g. Ito et al., 2003) in macaque monkeys. The clinical utility of this information, though, depends on the homology with humans. Rutishauser's group has distinguished the functional properties of SMC and CC (Fu et al., 2019, 2022) in humans, and the clear between species homology of neurons signaling action errors were recently summarized (Fu et al.2023). My research plan is motivated by a unique opportunity to compare single neuron properties in MFC of humans (who do limited testing durations and with nonspecific neuron locations) and monkeys (who do extended testing durations and offer cortical layer specific neuron sampling). I will synthesize neurophysiological data across humans and macaque monkeys to understand the neural mechanisms of cognitive control, and gain expertise and knowledge sufficient to be competitive for a faculty position as a PhD scientist in a Neurosurgery Department. Aim 1 is to characterize neurons across all layers of three MFC areas in monkeys recorded during a cognitive control task. Aim 2 is to compare neurons sampled in the same areas in humans doing the same task. Beyond informing us about human brain function, the findings will elucidate whether homologous brain regions are carrying out common computations across species. This will indicate whether monkeys are an appropriate model for testing targeted treatments for cognitive control disorders(e.g. stimulation and pharmacology).