Deciphering Predictions: Sounak Mohanta Explores the Brain Mechanics Behind Expectations

Predicting what comes next is an innate human ability honed through our lifetime of experiences. Imagine hearing a siren and instinctively looking for an ambulance; this seemingly simple act involves intricate brain functions and neural mechanics. In today's episode, we journey into the depths of these mechanisms with Sounak Mohanta, an expert at the intersection of neuroscience, machine learning, and computational frameworks.Using cutting-edge techniques like high-density EEG and Bayesian modeling, Mohanta's research unravels the intricate dance of frontal alpha activity and reaction times, shedding light on how our brains use past information to predict future events. Dive deeper to understand the pivotal role of α and β waves in facilitating these predictions.But what happens when these prediction mechanisms are interrupted? With the introduction of ketamine, an NMDAR blocker, Mohanta uncovers startling revelations about how drugs can tamper with our predictive capabilities, potentially holding keys to understanding disorders like schizophrenia.Join us as we traverse the neural pathways of predictions, delve into the role of oscillations in neural activity, and decode the significance of our brain's statistical learning. Whether you're a neuro-enthusiast or simply curious about the magic behind everyday human predictions, this episode promises a thrilling exploration into the world of expectation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1311-21.2021