Cog Sci Speaker Series: Semantic Plasticity in Neural Systems
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Solomon
Title: Semantic Plasticity in Neural Systems
Abstract: Our representations of the world need to be stable enough to support our general knowledge but flexible enough to incorporate new information as our environment changes. How does the human brain support this kind of flexibility within our semantic memory system? I will describe some areas of research that relate to these questions, and then present a recent project that tackles this question head on. We analyzed a large fMRI dataset in which participants viewed thousands of natural images across a period of many months. We found that, within the medial temporal lobe (MTL), semantic item representations gradually drifted over time (~8 months). However, rapid plasticity was observed only in parahippocampal cortex, such that item co-occurrence statistics warped item representations within a single session. In conjunction with whole-brain analyses, these results suggest that the brain might effectively support semantic flexibility by promoting plasticity in only a subset of semantic regions.
Bio: In Fall 2024, Sarah Solomon started as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Binghamton University. Her lab uses human behavior, computational methods, and fMRI to study how we build, represent, and use concepts.
Event Snapshot
When and Where
Who
Open to the Public
| Cost | FREE |
Interpreter Requested?
Yes