Brain Explorer: Study individual brain cells during decision making

Study individual brain cells during decision making

You measured brain activity in humans while they chose one item out of a group of objects

Making the best choice takes a lot of brain power. BRAIN Initiative scientists studied epilepsy patients while they decided which object to choose and found the cells that signal when we see the right object. Understanding how the brain decides may help people with brain disorders who struggle to make even simple choices.

Images of people and things shown to patients during experiment. Brain imaging with recording sites identified. — Images courtesy of Rutishauser Lab

Reference

Wang, et al. Abstract goal representation in visual search by neurons in the human pre-supplementary motor area. Brain. Sept 24, 2019. DOI:10.1093/brain/awz279

BRAIN Dictionary

Epilepsy Patients

People with severe epilepsy might undergo brain surgery to reduce their number of seizures. If he/she agrees to participate in research during the surgery, the patient gives scientists the opportunity to study the human brain and uncover new findings in neuroscience!