12:00 noon CDT | via Zoom Webinar
"Thalamocortical interactions in cognitive control and flexibility"
https://mcgovern.mit.edu/profile/michael-halassa/
Summary:
Interactions between the thalamus and cortex are critical for normal cognition. Although classical theories emphasize its role in transmitting signals to or between cortical areas, recent studies show that the thalamus modulates cortical function through additional mechanisms. In this talk, I will discuss findings that highlight the role of the mediodorsal (MD) thalamus in regulating prefrontal excitatory/inhibitory balance and effective connectivity during decision making. I will present unpublished data showing that the MD thalamus dynamically adjusts prefrontal evidence integration according to incoming stimulus statistics. In that manner, distinct thalamocortical interactions optimize decision making under different types of task uncertainty. Given that MD-PFC interactions are known to be perturbed in schizophrenia, these findings may be relevant to suboptimal management of uncertainty that leads to aberrant beliefs. If time allows, I will present early collaborative work in that domain.
CME/CE credit for Psychiatry Grand Rounds is only available during the live feed time and for a brief time immediately following. The code for this week's session is displayed at the opening and closing of the meeting and also in the Chair's Office Zoom Account Name during the meeting.
For CME/CE information about this session, please visit:
The webinar can be viewed at the link below:
May 28 Psychiatry Grand Rounds | Halassa
VUMC Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
This talk is sponsored by the
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
This educational activity received no commercial support.
Grand Rounds Enrichment Discussion
For a deeper understanding of the topic ahead of Dr. McDonell's talk, please join Dr. Neil Woodward on Wednesday May 26 on Zoom as he delves a little deeper into the subject matter. Background article for discussion for this week can be found here:
Extra Enrichment: