Gouki Okazawa, Ph.D.
October 13(Thu) - October 13(Thu), 2022
12PM
Online zoom (ID: 728-142-6028)
Neuro@noon Seminar
Date: 12pm, Thursday, Oct 13th
Speaker: Gouki Okazawa, Ph.D. (Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Title: Neural mechanisms of flexible decision making based on visual object information
Abstract: Visual recognition of objects is critical for guiding appropriate actions in diverse behavioral contexts. While its sensory mechanisms have been extensively studied, how decision-making processes operate during object categorization is poorly explored. My work aims to uncover computational principles underlying the process that transforms object information into action plans. Here, I present two findings made through this approach. First, while many studies explain object recognition as rapid image processing, we show that it can be modeled as evidence integration over both space and time using novel face categorization tasks. Second, we recorded from an oculomotor area (LIP) while monkeys reported face category through eye movements. Neural activity reflected decision formation, but the patterns were strikingly different from those expected from existing decision-making models. The activity forms a non-linear population manifold that rotates across tasks, suggesting context-dependent mechanisms. Together, I argue that object recognition is mediated by intricate decision-making mechanisms that cannot be readily extrapolated from simpler perceptual tasks.