Neural Mechanisms of Social Communication

Abstract: 

To adaptively engage with our environment, we must attend to incoming sensory information and subsequently generate a desired motor output. During conversation, we likewise listen to the words spoken by another person, interpret them, and verbally respond in a process known as ‘turn-taking’. While crucial for enabling normal spoken communication, the neural mechanisms of vocal interactions are poorly understood. We use intracranial methods to manipulate and monitor human speech as well as a range of neurobiological approaches in simpler organisms that can provide a more mechanistic view into these processes.

Sponsored by the NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at NYU Shanghai