By SCNU
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Title: Brain and consciousness: temporal and spatial characteristics of large-scale brain networks
Speaker: Zirui Huang (University of Michigan Medical School)
Time: Thursday, 25th October, 2018
Address: Rm. 201, School of Psychology
Personal profile:
EDUCATION
2007一2012 Ph.D. (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
2003一2007 B.S. (Biological Sciences)
Department ofBiology, ChihaAgriculture University, Beijing, China
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
2016一present Postdoctoral Fellow
Department ofAhesthesiology, University ofMichigahMedical School, AhhArbor MI, U.S.A.
2012一2016 Postdoctoral Fellow
Institute ofMehtal Health Research, Uhivers抑of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
RESEARCH INTERESTS
General Areas
Neural substrates of consciousness
Spatiotemporal configurations and alterations of large-scale brain dynamics
Specific Topics
General anesthesia一humans and rats
Neurological disorders一vegetative state and minimally conscious state patients
Psychiatric disorders一depressed and schizophrenic patients
Self and consciousness一self-referential processing and self-awareness
Abstract:
The marriage of network science and neuroimaging techniques offers a new avenue in the scientific study of consciousness. The brain activity has been shown to organize into large-scale networks with characteristic spatial architectures such as functional connectivity, modularity, scale-free and small-world properties. These spatial features are crucial for supporting information integration necessary for consciousness. However, little is known about the temporal characteristics (e.g. functional timescales) of large-scale brain networks, and how they are related to consciousness. In this talk, Dr. Huang will elaborate this idea by presenting fMRI data on temporal and spatial alterations of large-scale brain activity during graded sedation with propofol. He will discuss the interplay between intrinsic functional timescales and local/regional/distant functional connectivity during diminished consciousness. Finally, he will introduce a neuroscientific theory of brain and consciousness, temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC), to complement and extend the above discussions.