Profile of Michael N. Shadlen.
Jennifer Viegas
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America October 13, 2026 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2631778123 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Profile Peer reviewed |
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| Key points | Profiles Michael N. Shadlen's research on the neurobiology of decision-making, reporting his theory that higher brain functions such as memory retrieval, reasoning, and multitasking share underlying mechanisms. The text states his work suggests the "hard problem" of consciousness could be resolved and that his Inaugural Article addresses what distinguishes conscious from nonconscious thought. |
Abstract
Neuroscientist and neurologist Michael N. Shadlen is a world leader in the neurobiology of decision-making, a field of study he helped establish. His research explores higher brain functions-memory retrieval, reasoning, and multitasking, among others-that he theorizes share underlying mechanisms. His work suggests that a holy grail of neuroscience-the "hard problem" of consciousness, or the mechanism(s) by which physical brain operations are translated into lived experiences-could be resolved. Shadlen's Inaugural Article explains what distinguishes conscious from nonconscious thought.