Mechanisms of Forward Thinking and Behavior

One area of research that has permitted significant progress in the study of anticipation is the implementation of "forward models" to characterize how the brain uses sensory-motor transformations to organize motor control in real time. A primary aim of this collaborative is to test whether the forward models developed for motor control can be generalized to other cognitive domains. The investigators in the collaborative are all using forward models as a basis for computational and behavioral studies of human action. They propose to collectively extend their work by combining expertise in computational modeling, neurophysiology, functional neuroimaging, and behavioral studies using both primate and human subjects. Forward models will be applied to cognitive processes of increasing complexity. Specific projects include: developing testable computational models of learning by imitation; investigating the role of the cerebellum in serially ordered behavior; teasing out possible cognitive systems involved in anticipating the actions of objects and anticipating the actions of oneself and others (important implications for autism and schizophrenia research).