PSYC30018 Lecture Notes - Spring 2018 Lecture 7 - Ester, Intraparietal sulcus, Prefrontal cortex
Document Summary
Non-human primates and our understanding of neural mechanisms of number processing. Why study non-human primates (from lecture 6: basic number processing does not require language processing. Preverbal children know about number constancy number processing separate from language processing. Cultures with few words for small numbers can distinguish large numbers also reflects the differences in the way cultures use numbers: many animals have a core number ability like humans. Points to an evolutionary imperative for numbers. Chimpanzees display numerical competence that appears to rival that of humans fundamental brain mechanism for numbers (even non-symbolic number tasks) Measuring neuronal responses during number tasks: primates have chronic implants. The animals are awake and are capable of performing the number tasks anesthetised. Trained to do the number tasks so we know that they are attending to the stimulus we want them to: measure action potentials. Single neurons in localised areas of < 1mm single cell responses in the area of interest: determine number tuning.
