脑认知的神经基础

动物都需要认识和学习外界环境因素,并根据价值与风险做出抉择与行动;社会动物还必须有社会认知、共情、社会交往等社会行为能力;而人类有发达的自我认知、逻辑推演、意识、语言等能力。动物认知能力的好坏,决定了动物在野外是否能够成功觅食、躲避天敌、繁衍后代;而人类认知能力,则决定了个人的人生轨迹、自我价值实现乃至对社会的贡献。所有这些认知行为都是由神经细胞的功能来决定,其神经基础是脑科学的核心问题,也是人类认识自身的终极挑战。经过多年的研究,神经科学已经揭示了认知行为神经基础的一些基本原理:不同认知行为是由脑内不同的神经环路负责,需要各脑区内的局部神经环路与脑区间长程神经环路的协同工作;学习与记忆是许多认知功能的必要基础,这是由神经细胞之间突触联结的强度与结构的可塑性介导;神经调质(例如多巴胺)可以在多个尺度上调节神经网络的活动与可塑性,从而调控认知行为。文章聚焦在感知觉、学习与记忆、抉择、社会行为、意识和运动控制等方面,对认知功能的神经基础进行了概述。我们认为,未来神经科学需要结合介观和微观尺度的研究,对认知行为的神经基础进行系统与深入的阐明。在介观层面,科学家们需要描绘脑区之间细胞类型特异性的联结图谱;绘制认知功能的大脑功能图谱;利用因果性手段、揭示认知功能的核心脑区;操控不同脑区及脑区间联结的活动,进而观察认知行为的改变和其他参与环路的活动变化,从而获得脑整体动态规律。在微观层面,需要阐明不同脑区有哪些特定类型的神经元;揭示不同类型神经元是如何参与特定认知功能的;解析不同类型的神经元是如何联结以及这些联结是如何在认知行为中发生动态改变的。这些介观与微观研究将为理解宏观认知行为的神经基础提供重要线索,对于破解人类智能这一终极奥秘具有重要意义。同时,揭示认知行为的神经机制还是治疗脑疾病的必要基础,而且有助于推动脑启发(Brain Inspired)的智能技术的发展。

Neural Basis of Brain Cognition

All animals need to process and store relevant information about the external environment, while making decision and performing actions based on perceived value and risk. In addition, social animals need social cognitive abilities such as empathy, theory of mind and vocal communication. Furthermore, humans have superb abilities in self-awareness, logical reasoning, consciousness, and language.These cognitive abilities are critical for animals to successfully find food, avoid predators, and nurture their young. All cognitive abilities are determined by the function of neurons in our brain. Therefore, the neural basis of cognition is the central question for neuroscience and remains a grand challenge in human understanding ofnature and or ourselves. After centuries of studies, we now know several principles of neural basis underlying cognitive behaviors:different brain regions participate synergistically in different cognitive behaviors, using local neural circuits and long-range projections to process information within and among various brain regions, respectively. Learning and memory are mediated by plasticity changes in the strength and morphology of synapses; neuromodulators (such as dopamine) can modulate activity and plasticity of neural network at multiple levels and in turn modify cognitive abilities.In the current review we introduce the neural basis of cognition, focusing on sensory perception, learning and memory, decision making, social behaviors, and motor control. We propose that future studies need to combine mesoand micro-scale analysis for systematic and in-depth understanding of neural basis of cognition. At the mesoscopic scale, we need to construct the brain-wide connectome in a cell-type specific manner. In addition, functional activity map for different cognitive behaviors are required at the single-neuron level. Furthermore, we need to use optogenetic and chemicogenetic tools to dissect the causal relationship between activities of various neural circuits and the cognitive functions. Eventually, we also need manipulate activities of different brain regions and projecting terminals, while observing global neural dynamics across multiple brain regions. Such combined studies will yield principles of global brain dynamics for cognition. Furthermore, we need to dissect the connectivity patterns of neurons in a cell-type specific manner and illuminate the plasticity rule of these cell types in cognitive behaviors. The combined meso-and micro-scopic studies will without question shed new lights on the neural basis of cognitive behaviors. The efforts will be critical for eventually cracking the mystery of human intelligence. Understanding neural basis of cognition will provide necessary foundation for curing human brain disorders and promote the development of brain-inspired intelligence technologies.