Seminar SCALab 22/02/2024

Dezso NÉMETH (PhD) - Junior Professor - CRNL - Lyon Neuroscience Research Center - INSERM

Abstract: Human learning and predictive processing depend on multiple cognitive systems related to dissociable brain structures. These systems interact not only in cooperative but sometimes competitive ways in optimizing performance. Previous studies showed that manipulations reducing the engagement of prefrontal lobe-mediated explicit, attentional processes can improve non-declarative learning performance. Here, we present four studies – non-invasive brain stimulation, functional brain connectivity, lifespan development, local sleep, and mind-wandering - in which we investigated the competitive relationship between statistical learning and prefrontal lobe-mediated executive functions. Our result sheds light on the competitive nature of brain systems in cognitive processes and could have important implications for developing new methods to improve human learning and predictive processing.