HEGDÉ LABORATORY
Jay Hegdé, Principal Investigator
ABOUT US
In our laboratory, we study how the brain works. We focus on understanding how we see, but we are also interested in studying other aspects of brain function, including the interaction between vision and the other senses. Specifically, we are interested in understanding perception as statistical inference.
The rationale behind studying perception as inference is this: The outside world is more complex, ambiguous and noisy than we generally realize. This means that the brain cannot afford to construct an internal replica of the external world we perceive. Instead, brain has to ‘make do’ with the available ambiguous information. Thus, what we think of perceiving the outside world is really the brain’s best guess as to what is out there.
Recent studies show that in order to come up with this inference about the world, the brain must evaluate the ambiguous information from the various senses, along with what it knows about the nature of the outside world and about the task at hand. Such inference is not a special case scenario, but rather is part and parcel of perception under any circumstance. In other words, there is no perception without inference.The goal of my laboratory is to study how this decision-making process works.
A good way of illustrating the centrality of inference to perception is to consider how we see in 3-D. The retinal image is a flat, 2-D image; it contains no unambiguous 3-D information whatsoever. This means that the third dimension, or depth, has to be inferred from the cues to depth (such as stereoscopic disparity, motion, occlusion, etc) implicit in the image. Since each depth cue by itself is ambiguous, the visual system must combine ambiguous information from multiple depth cues to infer depth. Thus, there is no 3-D vision without inference. Given that there are many additional sources of ambiguity in the visual image, there is no vision, 3-D or otherwise, without inference.
Of course, this is not to say that our research is focused exclusively on 3-D vision or even just vision per se. Our work does focus on understanding how we see. But we are also actively engaged in research into other aspects of brain function and dysfunction, such as the neural mechanisms of perceptual learning, as well as the neural mechanisms of cross-modal (or multisensory) perception and cross-modal perceptual learning. Some of our research also deals with devising methods for rehabilitation visual impairments.
In other words, we focus on understanding how we see as a way of helping us understanding how the brain works. Indeed, recent computational and psycho-physical studies indicate that studying vision as inference, especially as Bayesian inference, provides a far-reaching framework for understanding not only how we see but, in good measure, how the brain works.
OUR RESEARCH INTERESTS
Our research interests include, but are not limited to, the visual and multisensory perception. We are also interested in understanding the mechanisms of visual dysfunction and developing methods for treating visual impairments.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES WE USE
We use a variety of advanced research methods including (but not limited to) multi-electrode recording and microstimulation in awake, behaving monkeys, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans and monkeys, psychophysics in humans and monkeys, computer modeling, and theoretical neuroscience. We are also engaged in translational research that seeks to devise new ways of rehabilitating patients with various neuro-ophthalmological impairments. Thus, our laboratory offers an excellent opportunity to learn a diverse set of advanced research methodologies while addressing many questions in the forefront of Systems Neuroscience.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR DISCOVERY INSTITUTE (BBDI) AND VISION DISCOVERY INSTITUTE (VDI)
Our laboratory is part of both BBDI and VDI at Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU). BBDI is an exciting new, rapidly expanding center for systems neuroscience research. VDI is an exciting new center for vision research. In addition, Jay Hegdé has faculty appointments in the Department of Ophthalmology of Medical College of Georgia as well as the College of Graduate Studies.
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|  Current Events | GHSU Merges with Augusta StateIn a surprise move, our institution, GHSU, merged with a local university, the Augusta State University (ASU) on January 12, 2012, effective immediately. See the following link for additional information. This merger means, among other things, that GHSU will have to change its name again. (Before it became GHU or Georgia Health Sciences University on February 1, 2010, our institution was known as the Medical College of Georgia, or MCG. See this link for additional information.) |
| POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Multiple post-doctoral fellowships in systems neuroscience to study neural mechanisms of visual and cross-modal perception is available immediately in our laboratory.
A variety of research projects are available in monkey neurophysiology, human fMRI and translational neuroscience. Applicants must have significant prior research experience in at least one of these fields, along with a doctoral degree (MD and/or PhD). Qualified candidates should send a letter of interest and a curriculum vitae to Jay Hegdé (for contact info, please see the 'Contact Us' page). For additional information about institutional requirements and to apply, visit GHSU's employment page ( http://www.georgiahealth.edu/Jobs/external.html) and apply for position #9639. GHSU is an AA/EEO/Equal Access/ADA Employer.
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