Our brains are continuously monitoring what we have already accomplished, are currently pursuing, and are planning to tackle in the future. In this complex and dynamic process, the hippocampus plays a crucial role, in particular demonstrating a specific organization of the episodic memory information along its longitudinal axis, transitioning from more detailed representations (e.g., immediate goals) in the posterior part, to more generalized information (e.g. temporallly distant goals) in the anterior ones. This study investigates the role of the hippocampus in distinguishing goals over time. For this, we will analyze functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans of healthy subjects acquired while they were required to accomplish specific tasks, to investigate brain activation during the accomplishing of specific goals.

Requirements    

• Good programming skills are required (Python and/or Matlab, to read, understand, and translate code).
• Knowledge of signal / image processing (from courses or practical experience) is a plus.
• Desired: Travel to Geneva 1 day per week (train tickets reimbursed).

Please contact Maria Giulia Preti (maria.preti@epfl.ch) with your CV and we’ll get back to you with more details about this project.

References

Montagrin, A., Croote, D.E., Preti, M.G. et al. The hippocampus dissociates present from past and future goals. Nat Commun 15, 4815 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48648-9