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The cognitive atlas: toward a knowledge foundation for cognitive neuroscience
Russell A Poldrack1, Aniket Kittur, Donald Kalar
1Imaging Research Center and Departments of Psychology and Neurobiology, University of Texas Austin, TX, USA.
Frontiers in Neuroinformatics
|September 17, 2011
Summary
Cognitive neuroscience needs a systematic approach to define mental processes and tasks. The new Cognitive Atlas project provides a knowledge base to advance understanding of the mind and brain.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Psychology
Background:
- Mapping mental processes to brain function is a core goal of cognitive neuroscience.
- Progress is hindered by informal definitions of mental processes and associated tasks.
- A systematic representation is needed for cumulative scientific advancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a systematic approach for representing mental entities and tasks in cognitive neuroscience.
- To introduce the Cognitive Atlas, an open collaborative project and knowledge base.
- To highlight the potential of the Cognitive Atlas for driving novel discoveries.
Main Methods:
- Development of an open collaborative project.
- Creation of a knowledge base for cognitive neuroscience.
- Online accessibility of the Cognitive Atlas resource.
Main Results:
- The establishment of the Cognitive Atlas project.
- A framework for systematically representing mental processes and tasks.
- Demonstration of the project's potential to foster new insights.
Conclusions:
- A systematic approach to defining mental processes and tasks is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
- The Cognitive Atlas offers a valuable resource for researchers.
- This project has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of the mind and brain.
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