DR. XIAOGANG YAN
Scientific Engineer 

CIHR Group for Action and Perception and
York Centre for Vision Research 

York University,
4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3
CANADA
tel: (416) 736-2100 x 33726
fax: (416) 736-5814
email: xgyan@yorku.ca

BIOGRAPHY:

Education / Work Experience

2001-present     Research Associate/Scientific Engineer (with Dr. J.D. Crawford and Dr. L.E. Sergio)
1998-2001        Research Associate, Center for Neural Basis of Cognition & Dept. Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (with Dr. T.S. Lee), USA
1994-1998        Associate Professor, Dept. Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
1984-1994        Lecturer & Assistant, Dept. Scientific Instrumentation & Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
1987-1990        Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
1982-1984        Master, Biomedical Instrumentation Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
1978-1982        B.S., Computer Science, Hehai University & Nanjing University, China  

RESEARCH PROJECT:

The main interest of our research is to understand the neural mechanisms and visuomotor transformations for eye-hand coordination. Using 3-D magnetic search coils, single unit recording, and electromyogram (EMG) of arm and finger, we will investigate the neuron activities in FEF, PRR, and other relevant areas under visual guided pointing, reaching, and tracking tasks with arm free and head fixed or free conditions. We will also investigate the arm/finger muscle activities during those tasks. The questions we are interested in are (1) what coordinate systems are used by different area in those visual guided motor tasks, (2) what is the mechanism of the cooperation among those areas, (3) what’s the neural encoding involved in those activities, and (4) what is the relation between neural and muscle encoding.

PUBLICATIONS:

Refereed Publications:

Ada Le, Michael Vesia, Xiaogang Yan, Matthias Niemeier, J Douglas Crawford. (2013) "The right anterior intraparietal sulcus is critical for bimanual grasping: a TMS study." Cerebral Cortex, 2013 May 03, bht115.

Hawkins KM, Sayegh P, Yan X, Crawford JD, Sergio LE. (2012) "Neural Activity in Superior Parietal Cortex during Rule-based Visual-motor Transformations." J Cogn Neurosci. 2013 March, p436-454.

Yan X, Khambhati A, Liu L, Lee TS. (2012) "Neural dynamics of image representation in the primary visual cortex." J Physiol Paris. 2012 Sep; 106(5-6):250-65. Epub 2012 Aug 31.

Monteon JA, Avillac M, Yan X, Wang H, Crawford JD. (2012), "Neural Mechanisms for Predictive Head Movement Strategies During Sequential Gaze Shifts." J Neurophysiol. 2012 Nov; 108(10):2689-707. Epub 2012 Aug 29.

DeSouza JF, Keith GP, Yan X, Blohm G, Wang H, Crawford JD. (2011), "Intrinsic reference frames of superior colliculus visuomotor receptive fields during head-unrestrained gaze shifts." J Neurosci. 2011 Dec 14;31(50):18313-26.

Vesia M, Prime SL, Yan X, Sergio LE, Crawford JD. (2010), "Specificity of human parietal saccade and reach regions during transcranial magnetic stimulation." J Neurosci. 2010 Sep 29;30(39):13053-65.


Keith GP, Desouza JF, Yan X, Wang H, Crawford JD. (2009), "A method for mapping response fields and determining intrinsic reference frames of single-unit activity: applied to 3D head-unrestrained gaze shifts."  J Neurosci Methods. 2009 May 30;180(1):171-84.

VESIA M, YAN X, HENRIQUES DYP, SERGIO LE, & CRAWFORD JD. (2008), "TMS over human dorsal-lateral posterior parietal cortex disrupts integration of hand position signals into the reach plan."  Journal of Neurophysiology, 100(4): 2005-14. MOP68812

FARSHADMANESH F., CHANG P, WANG H, YAN X, CORNEIL BD, & CRAWFORD JD. (2008), "Neck muscle synergies during stimulation and inactivation of the interstitial nucleus of cajal (INC)." Journal of Neurophysiology. , 100(3):1677-85. MOP13357

Vesia, M., Vander, H., Yan, X.G., Sergio, L.E. (2005), "The time course for kinetic versus kinematic planning of goal- basis directed  human  motor behavior", Experimental Brain Research, 160(3), 290-301

Xiaogang Yan, Tai Sing Lee (2000), "Informatics of Spike Trains in Neuronal Ensemble", Proceedings of the 22nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, WC2000, 5978-65138/65226 (This is a CD-ROM version proceeding. 5978-65138 is the ID No. of the abstract and 5978-65226 is the ID No. of the paper)

Elise Cassidente, Xiaogang Yan, Tai Sing Lee (1999), "A Bayesian Decision Approach to Decode Local and Contextual Signal from Spike Train", Computational Neuroscience -- Trends in Research 2000 (Proceedings of 1999 Conference in Computational Neuroscience, Eds. Jin Bower) Elsevier Press, P1013.

Tong Q.Y., Yan X.G., Xue Z.Q., Kong J. (1999), "Applying Chaos Theory to Measurement", Journal of Electronics, Vol.21, No.1

Jia C.G., Duan H.L., Yan X.G., Lu W.X.(1998), "A 24-hour Solid State Holter Recording and Analyzing System", Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation, Vol.22, No.1, P1

X.G. Yan (1993), "Dynamic Levkov-Christov Subtraction of Mains Interference elimination", Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, Vol.31, No.6, P6

Yan X.G., Lu W.X. (1991), "Intermittent Recording of Continuous ECG", Proceedings of the 13th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, P1679

Yan Xiaogang (1991), "A Review of Holter Technique", Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation, Vol.15, No.1, P26

 

 

Abstracts:

 

*R. A. MARINO, A. SAJAD, H. WANG, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2013), "The influence of competing stimuli on classical visual response fields in the frontal eye fields ", Society for Neuroscience, 826.06/DD3

*A. SAJAD, M. SADEH, M. DAEMI, X. YAN, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2013), "Spatiotemporal evolution of FEF and SC response fields during delayed memory-guided gaze shifts ", Society for Neuroscience, 365.14/CCC2

*J. CRAWFORD, S. DASH, S. ALIPOUR-NAZARI, X. YAN, H. WANG (2013), "Comparison of visual and/or visuo-spatial updating responses in superior colliculus visual neurons during smooth pursuit eye movements", Society for Neuroscience, 362.04/ZZ11

*Y. CHEN, S. MONACO, P. BYRNE, X. YAN, D. Y. P. HENRIQUES, J. D. CRAWFORD (2013), "Neural substrates for allocentric versus egocentric representation in memory-guided reach", Society for Neuroscience, 272.19/AAA19

*N. ALOMAWI, J. C. DESSING, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2013), "Influence of gaze direction, target location, and target orientation on memory-guided reach and grasp errors ", Society for Neuroscience, 163.16/KK8

*S. DASH, X. YAN, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2012), "Continuous visuospatial updating in superior colliculus neurons during smooth pursuit eye movements depends on behavioral relevance of target location ", Society for Neuroscience, 374.01/OO5

*R. A. MARINO1, X. YAN2, D. CRAWFORD (2012), "Assessing the influence of allocentric spatial cues on memory-guided head free gaze shifts ", Society for Neuroscience, 370.16/LL6

*A. SAJAD, M. SADEH, X. YAN, G. P. KEITH, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2012), "Visual and motor coding in Frontal Eye Fields during head-unrestrained gaze shifts ", Society for Neuroscience, 419.01

*M. SADEH, A. SAJAD, H. WANG, G. P. KEITH, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2012), "Visual and Motor coding in the primate Superior Colliculus during head-unrestrained gaze shifts ", Society for Neuroscience, 419.10

*Y. CHEN1, S. MONACO2, P. BYRNE2, X. YAN2, D. Y. P. HENRIQUES2, J. D. CRAWFORD3 (2012), "Cortical mechanisms for egocentric and allocentric encoding of remembered visual target locations for reach", Society for Neuroscience, 573.05/GG16

*F. FARSHADMANESH, P. BYRNE, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. D. CRAWFORD (2011), "A comparison between neck electromyography during voluntary torsional head movements and those evoked by unilateral stimulation and inactivation of the interstitial nucleus of Cajal", Society for Neuroscience, 699.18/QQ11

*A. SAJAD, X. YAN, G. P. KEITH, J. D. CRAWFORD (2011), "Visual and motor receptive fields in the frontal eye fields during head-unrestrained gaze shifts", Society for Neuroscience, 272.15/JJ20

*X. YAN, M. AVILLAC, J. ASCENCIO-MONTEON, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2010), "Instruction-related saccade and head movement activity in superior colliculus units during planned sequences of head-unrestrained gaze shifts in the monkey", Society for Neuroscience, 676.4/NN5

*S. DASH, R. RADIK, H. WANG, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2010), "Task dependent spatial updating of targets across smooth pursuit eye movements (SP) in rhesus monkeys", Society for Neuroscience, 582.2/UU4

*J. C. DESSING, M. VESIA, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2010), "Online updating of spatial and temporal aspects of manual interception movements", Society for Neuroscience, 373.17/PP9

*D. C. CAPPADOCIA, M. VESIA, P. A. BYRNE, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2010), "Saccade target selection based on single or multiple remembered visual features", Society for Neuroscience, 280.5/SS13

*F. FARSHADMANESH, P. BYRNE, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. D. CRAWFORD (2010), "Using cross-validation to characterize neck electromyography (EMG) evoked by stimulation of the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) ", Society for Neuroscience, 676.7/NN8

*M. VESIA, S. L. PRIME, X. YAN, L. E. SERGIO, J. D. CRAWFORD (2009), "Mapping saccade and reach topography in human posterior parietal cortex using rTMS", Society for Neuroscience, 307.8

*F. FARSHADMANESH, P. A. BYRNE, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. D. CRAWFORD (2009), "Cross-validation technique for establishing predictive models of the relationships between neck muscle electromyography and three-dimensional head kinematics", Society for Neuroscience, 851.20/V29


P. SAYEGH, B. NEAGU, K. HOFFMAN, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD, *L. E. SERGIO (2008), "Oscillatory activity in different monkey premotor areas during a dissociated reaching task", Society for Neuroscience, 262.4/CC18 

*G. P. KEITH, J. F. X. DESOUZA, X. YAN, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2008), "Intrinsic reference frames for visuomotor receptive fields in head-free gaze shifts I: Methods and simulations", Society for Neuroscience, 263.5/DD5

*J. F. DESOUZA, G. P. KEITH, X. YAN, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2008), "Intrinsic reference frames for visuomotor receptive fields in head-free gaze shifts II: Superior colliculus units in the monkey", Society for Neuroscience, 263.6/DD6

M. AVILLAC, *X. YAN, J. ASENSCIO-MONTEON, J. D. CRAWFORD (2008), "Superior colliculus activity during cued planning of sequenced head-free gaze shifts", Society for Neuroscience, 263.7/DD7

*F. FARSHADMANESH, G. P. KEITH, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. D. CRAWFORD (2008), "Neck muscle activation during gaze fixations in the monkey: 3-D postural fields and relationship to 3-D behavioral constraints", Society for Neuroscience, 263.9/DD9

R. RADIK, X. YAN, *H. WANG, J. F. X. DESOUZA, J. CRAWFORD (2008), "Task dependent spatial updating of saccade targets during smooth pursuit", Society for Neuroscience, 264.17/DD34

Byrne, P.A., Pallan, S., Yan, X. G., & Crawford, J.D. (2008), "Integration of object-centered and viewercentered visual information in an open-loop pointing task." Vision Sciences Society.

Vesia, M., Yan, X., Henriques, D. Y. P., Sergio, L. E., & Crawford, J.D. (2008), "TMS over dorsallateral PPC: A problem with integrating hand position (not target position) into the reach plan. " Third International Conference on Transcranial Magnetic and Direct Cranial Stimulation.

*J. ASCENCIO-MONTEON, M. AVILLAC, H. WANG, X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2007), "Cognitive aspects of eye-head coordination: role of frontal eye fields and superior colliculus", Society for Neuroscience, 19.9

*M. VESIA, X. YAN, D. Y. HENRIQUES, L. E. SERGIO, J. D. CRAWFORD (2007), "Transcranial magnetic stimulation over posterior parietal cortex disrupts the integration of initial hand position information into the reach plan", Society for Neuroscience, 123.2 

*F. FARSHADMANESH, P. CHANG, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. CRAWFORD (2007), "Position-dependent neck muscle activation during stimulation of the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC)", Society for Neuroscience, 178.9/KK15

P. A. BYRNE, S. PALLAN, *X. YAN, J. D. CRAWFORD (2007), "Integration of object-centered and viewer-centered visual information in an open-loop pointing task", Society for Neuroscience, 281.7/GG17

DeSouza, J.F.X., Blohm, G., Hoover A.E.N., Chan, C.Y.J., Yan, X., Wang, H., & Crawford, J. D. (2007), "Superior colliculus (SC) neural activity codes visually guided head-unrestrained gaze movements in retinal coordinates: Effects of position-dependent motor tuning." Neural Control of Movement, 17.

*F. FARSHADMANESH, P. F. CHANG, X. YAN, H. WANG, B. D. CORNEIL, J. D. CRAWFORD (2006), "Neck muscle synergies during gaze fixation before and after pharmacological inactivation of the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) in the primate", Society for Neuroscience, 139.8/D73

J. D. CRAWFORD, X. YAN, H. WANG, R. RADIK, *J. F. DESOUZA (2006), "Internal representation of motion parallax in the superior colliculus (SC) during passive head translations and saccades to targets in 3-D space", Society for Neuroscience, 139.15/D80

J. F. DESOUZA, *X. YAN, G. BLOHM, H. WANG, J. D. CRAWFORD (2006), "Gaze position effects and position-dependent motor tuning in primate superior colliculus (SC) neurons during head-unrestrained visually guided movements", Society for Neuroscience, 211.1

J.F.DeSouza, X.Yan, H.Wang, J.D.Crawford (2005), "Position-dependent motor tuning of superior colliculus (SC) neurons in the head-unconstrained monkey", Society for Neuroscience, 31, 858.16

P.F.Chang, F.Farshadmanesh, X.G.Yan, H.Y.Wang, J.D.Crawford, B.D.Corneil (2005), "Neck muscle recruitment evoked by micro-stimulation of the primate interstitial nucleus of cajal (INC)", Society for Neuroscience, 31, 302.10

L.Liu, X.Yan, T.Lee (2005), "Spatiotemporal responses of early visual neurons to chromatic figure-ground stimuli", Society for Neuroscience, 31, 285.18

M.S.Barr, X.Yan, J.D.Crawford, L.E.Sergio (2003), "The processing of indirect visuomotor transformations in primates: kinematic analysis", Society for Neuroscience, 29, 597.3

S.L. Prime, M. Niemeier, D. Crawford, X. Yan (2002), "Trans-saccadic integration for low-level visual information", Society for Neuroscience, 28,57.4

X.G.Yan, V.Khatri, C.L.Colby, T.S.Lee (2000), "Sensitivity of V2 Neurons to Global Movement", Society for Neuroscience, 2000

T.S. Lee1, X.G. Yan, R.D. Romero (2000), "THE INFLUENCE OF BEHAVIOR ON THE NEURAL PROCESSES UNDERLYING PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION", Society for Neuroscience, 2000