9. Temproal Cognition

• millisecond timing

• interval timing

• circadian timing

endogenous rhythm which is about 24 h long

• SCN in the hypothalamus above the optic chiasm

• receives direct input from retina

• Generates ~24-hour rhythms through gene expression feedback loops.

• Involves core clock genes

• These gene-protein cycles create self-sustained molecular oscillations.

• The rhythm persists endogenously (even without external cues).

• Receives light input from the retina via the retinohypothalamic tract.

• Light synchronizes the SCN to the external day-night cycle.

• The SCN sends timing signals (neural and hormonal) to peripheral clocks in organs.

• Regulates sleep-wake cycles, hormone secretion (e.g., melatonin), body temperature, and metabolism.

• motor control

  • speech generation and recognition

  • playing music

• ivolves cerebellum

• intrinsic neuronal properties, membrane and synpatic time constants

• decision making

• involves distributed circuits of brain areas including cortex and striatum

estimates of larger magnitudes noisier than those of smaller magnitudes

states that the discriminability between two nearby stimuli depends on the ratio between their intensities not on their absolute magnitudes

to stimulus magnitude S

• Animals learn to label durations as "short" or "long" (e.g., 2s vs. 8s).

• In test trials, they judge intermediate durations.

• Responses reveal perceived midpoint (bisection point).

• Often near geometric mean, not arithmetic.

• Shows animals can discriminate time and supports Scalar Expectancy Theory.

• Der Punkt, an dem das Tier 50 % „lang“ und 50 % „kurz“ antwortet, wird als Bisection Point bezeichnet.

• dedicated - special timing circuits - seperated from other processes

• intrinsic - normal brain ciruits - part of ongoing activity

• bayesian inference

• pacemaker-accumulator (dedicated)

• population clocks (intrinsic)

• A dedicated model of time perception.

• Pacemaker emits regular pulses.

• Switch opens when timing starts, sending pulses to...

• Accumulator, which counts them.

• More pulses = longer perceived time.

• Used in Scalar Expectancy Theory (SET).

• Explains why timing error increases with interval length (scalar property).

• A bias where extreme durations are estimated toward the mean.

• Short intervals → overestimated

• Long intervals → underestimated

• Reflects influence of prior experience on perception.

• Common in tasks like duration reproduction and bisection.

• Supports idea that timing involves memory and expectation, not just raw perception.

P(S/M) = senosrische information in abhängigkeit von measurement with prev knowledge

• excitatory neurons

• inhibitory neurons

• recurrent connections

• short-term synaptic placticity

• PCA is used to analyze neural population activity during timing tasks.

• One active state:

  • Shows a smooth, continuous trajectory in PCA space.

  • Suggests intrinsic, gradual time coding.

• Two active states:

  • Reveals a shift or separation in neural activity (e.g. at start and end).

  • Indicates discrete phase-like time coding.

• Helps distinguish between continuous vs. segmented timing models.

Dedicated timing uses special brain circuits like a stopwatch, while intrinsic timing relies on the natural activity patterns of regular brain processes to track time.

The differences between two stimuli relay on ration between their intensities not on their absolute magnitude

Pacemaker–accumulator model = 

Internal pacemaker generates pulses at a regular rate. 

These pulses are sent to an accumulator when attention is directed to timing. 

The total number of accumulated pulses is used to estimate elapsed time. 

This model helps explain how we compare durations and why our sense of time can vary with attention or arousal.

The circadian clock is a 24-hour gene feedback loop where CLOCK and BMAL1 activate PER and CRY, which then inhibit their own expression to maintain rhythmic cycles.