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Top-down modulation in the infant brain: Learning-induced expectations rapidly affect the sensory cortex at 6 months

Author(s): Emberson, Lauren L.; Richards, John E.; Aslin, Richard N.

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Abstract: Although infants are excellent learners, it is unclear whether infants use neural strategies similar to those of adults to track changes in their environment. One adult neural strategy is to use feedback connections to modulate sensory cortices based on their expectations. The current study provides, to our knowledge, the first evidence that the fundamental architecture required for sensory feedback is already in place in infancy. This top-down modulation is especially impressive because the study employs an audiovisual task that requires the flexible use of long-range neural connections, and the infant brain is dominated by short-range neural connections with weak (e.g., unmyelinated) long-range connections. These results suggest that learners can use sophisticated top-down feedback neural strategies from an early age.
Publication Date: 4-Aug-2015
Electronic Publication Date: 20-Jul-2015
Citation: Emberson, Lauren L, Richards, John E, Aslin, Richard N. (2015). Top-down modulation in the infant brain: Learning-induced expectations rapidly affect the sensory cortex at 6 months. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112 (31), 9585 - 9590. doi:10.1073/pnas.1510343112
DOI: doi:10.1073/pnas.1510343112
ISSN: 0027-8424
EISSN: 1091-6490
Pages: 9585 - 9590
Type of Material: Journal Article
Journal/Proceeding Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Version: Final published version. This is an open access article.



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