Recent advances have ushered in a new era for neurobiological studies of complex cognitive functions beyond early sensory processing. Human studies using fMRI and electromagnetic measures have identified brain systems and large scale dynamics important for memory, attention, decision making, emotion regulation, and other aspects of cognition. Neurophysiological studies in nonhuman subjects have discovered neural underpinnings of many of these same cognitive functions. Computational models have been developed to elucidate the dynamics and cellular/ensemble properties of the underlying neural networks. Along with continuing rapid progress in each of these traditional areas, there is accelerated progress in neuronal recording studies in monkeys and rodents targeting other high level processes such as task switching and executive control, which were previously only rarely investigated outside of human studies. There is also increasing attention paid to neuronal dynamics such as oscillations and continuing lively debate on whether and how they may contribute to the brain operations underlying cognition. Relevant to all of these issues, recent application of novel experimental and theoretical approaches are beginning to uncover general principles of the networks that guide cognition at a fundamental level. These advances hold the promise of effectively blending molecular and circuit neurobiology with cognitive neurosciences. Findings in this field have begun to provide important insights into the neural bases of normative cognitive function as well as how disruption of these functions underlie a variety of mental disorders.

This recently inaugurated Gordon Conference series provides a forum for researchers and students to exchange data and discuss ideas on cutting-edge issues in the neurobiology of cognition. Given the broad field, each meeting has a somewhat different focus, to facilitate in-depth discussions and at the same time preserve the breadth. The program and format of the meeting are designed to foster intense interactions among investigators from different fields (e.g., between cognitive neuroscientists using human fMRI and neurophysiologists working with behaving animals) or across levels (from cellular and subcellular physiology, microcircuits, to large-scale brain systems), as well as between experimentalists and theorists.