72. Nico Schuck: Replay, cognitive maps, and multivariate decoding with fMRI

Nico Schuck is Professor and head of the research group 'Mechanisms of learning and change' at the University of Hamburg, where his research focuses on the neuroscience of learning, memory, and cognitive maps. In this conversation, we discuss his work on cognitive maps and replay in Orbitofrontal Cortex and Hippocampus, decoding even brief events with fMRI, and much more.

BJKS Podcast is a podcast about neuroscience, psychology, and anything vaguely related, hosted by Benjamin James Kuper-Smith.

Support the show: https://geni.us/bjks-patreon

Timestamps
00:00: Nico's work elicits 'limited enthusiasm'
04:36: Multivariate decoding with fMRI
13:23: Start discussing Nico's paper 'Human OFC represents a cognitive map of state space'
19:39: Weird tasks in computational neuroscience
27:30: Start discussing Nico's paper ' Sequential replay of nonspatial task states in the human hippocampus'
36:45: How can the slow fMRI signal pick up on very fast neural dynamics?
43:02: What is Orbitofrontal Cortex and what does it do?
49:24: Some books and papers more people should read
55:17: Something Nico wishes he'd learnt sooner
56:40: Advice for young scientists

Podcast links

• Website: https://geni.us/bjks-pod
• Twitter: https://geni.us/bjks-pod-twt

Nico's links

• Website: https://geni.us/schuck-web
• Google Scholar: https://geni.us/schuck-scholar
• Twitter: https://geni.us/schuck-twt

Ben's links

• Website: https://geni.us/bjks-web
• Google Scholar: https://geni.us/bjks-scholar
• Twitter: https://geni.us/bjks-twt

References
Aly & Turk-Browne (2016). Attention stabilizes representations in the human hippocampus. Cerebral Cortex.
Bishop (2006). Pattern recognition and machine learning. New York: Springer.
Kaplan, Schuck & Doeller (2017). The role of mental maps in decision-making. Trends in Neurosciences.
Knudsen & Wallis (2022). Taking stock of value in the orbitofrontal cortex. Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Moneta, Garvert, Heekeren & Schuck (2023). Task state representations in vmPFC mediate relevant and irrelevant value signals and their behavioral influence. Nature Communications.
Schuck, Cai, Wilson & Niv (2016). Human orbitofrontal cortex represents a cognitive map of state space. Neuron.
Schuck & Niv (2019). Sequential replay of nonspatial task states in the human hippocampus. Science.
Shepard (1987). Toward a universal law of generalization for psychological science. Science.
Skaggs & McNaughton (1996). Replay of neuronal firing sequences in rat hippocampus during sleep following spatial experience. Science.
Sutton & Barto (2018). Reinforcement learning: An introduction. MIT press.
Tang, LeBel, Jain & Huth (2023). Semantic reconstruction of continuous language from non-invasive brain recordings. Nature Neuroscience.
Todd, Nystrom & Cohen(2013). Confounds in multivariate pattern analysis: theory and rule representation case study. Neuroimage.
Wilson, Takahashi, Schoenbaum & Niv (2014). Orbitofrontal cortex as a cognitive map of task space. Neuron.