Psychology Joint Colloquium Series – Sensorimotor Integration, Circadian Resonators, and Time Memory by Dr. Martin Ralph

Dr. Martin Ralph is a professor in psychology and behavioural neuroscience at the University of Toronto. His talk will be on the brain’s system of sensorimotor integration (SMI) which binds the formation of time memory with the rhythmic expression of goal directed behavior. He will be presenting a model of the SMI as a neural circuit that functions as a circadian resonator where the circuit is not an autonomous oscillator, but possesses a natural resonance frequency of ca. 24-hrs. The conceptual model, with supporting empirical evidence, shows how SMI can integrate the expression of the rhythmic activity of the suprachiasmatic (SCN) clock, periodic sensory input, and a circadian system underlying 24-hr time memory.