Welcome to Ning Qian's Lab at Columbia

This is the home page of the Qian Laboratory in the Department of Neuroscience and Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University. We are located in the Greene Science Center of the Manhattanville campus in New York City. Directions.

Research Interests

Computational neuroscience of vision, motor control, and visuomotor integration.
Visual psychophysics.

For details, see the description in the Neurobiology and Behavior Program brochure.

Journal Publications

Click the titles to see the abstracts. The full papers (PDF files or gzip compressed PS files) for most of the publications are available here. See also Ning Qian's Google Scholar page.

Receptive-field sizes during remapping and uniform transsaccadic updating across the visual space, Yiming Wang, Mingsha Zhang, and Ning Qian, bioRxiv, 2026, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.25.727689v1 Download the full paper (PDF file)
Forward and convergent remapping of receptive fields from local field potentials in frontal eye fields, Min Jin, Lin Yang, Fangfang Jia, Ning Qian, and Mingsha Zhang, Communications Biology, 2025, 8 (921): 1-9, https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08324-0, Download the full paper (PDF file)
A circuit model for transsaccadic space updating and mislocalization, Xiao Wang, Sophia J. Tsien, Min Jin, Michael E. Goldberg, Mingsha Zhang, and Ning Qian, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2025, 122:1-10, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422911122, Download the full paper (PDF file)
Preprint, bioRxiv, 2024, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.27.620527v1, Download the full paper (PDF file)
Overcoming sensory-memory interference in working memory circuits, Andrii Zahorodnii, Diego Mendoza-Halliday, Julio C. Martinez-Trujillo, Ning Qian, Robert Desimone, Christopher J. Cueva, bioRxiv, 2025, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.17.643652v1 Download the full paper (PDF file)
Perisaccadic and attentional remapping of receptive fields in lateral intraparietal area and frontal eye fields, Xiao Wang, Cong Zhang, Lin Yang, Min Jin, Michael E. Goldberg, Mingsha Zhang, and Ning Qian, Cell Reports, 2024, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113820 Download the full paper (PDF file)
Preprint: bioRxiv, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.23.558993, Download the full paper (PDF file)
Distributions of visual receptive fields from retinotopic to craniotopic coordinates in lateral intraparietal area and frontal eye fields of the macaque, Lin Yang, Min Jin, Cong Zhang, Ning Qian, Mingsha Zhang, Neuroscience Bulletin, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-023-01097-8 Download the full paper (PDF file)
Tuning curves vs. population responses, and perceptual consequences of receptive-field remapping, Ning Qian, Michael E. Goldberg, and Mingsha Zhang, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, 2023, 16:1060757. doi: 10.3389/fncom.2022.1060757. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Cross-fixation interactions of orientations suggest high-to-low-level decoding in visual working memory, Long Luu, Mingsha Zhang, Misha Tsodyks, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2021.107963. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Recurrent neural network models for working memory of continuous variables: activity manifolds, connectivity patterns, and dynamic codes, Christopher J. Cueva, Adel Ardalan, Misha Tsodyks, and Ning Qian, arXiv, 2021, arXiv:2111.01275. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Computational modeling of excitatory/inhibitory balance impairments in schizophrenia, Ning Qian, Richard M. Lipkin1, Aleksandra Kaszowska, Gail Silipo, Elisa C. Dias, Pamela D. Butler, and Daniel C. Javitt, Schizophrenia Research, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.03.027. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Neuronal Firing Rate as Code Length: A Hypothesis, Ning Qian and Jun Zhang, Computational Brain & Behavior, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42113-019-00028-z. Download the full paper (PDF file)
A single, continuously applied control policy for modeling reaching movements with and without perturbation, Zhe Li, Pietro Mazzoni, Sen Song, and Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 2018, 30: 397-427. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Visual perception as retrospective Bayesian decoding from high- to low-level features, Stephanie Ding, Christopher Cueva, Misha Tsodyks, and Ning Qian, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2017, 114: E9115-E9124. Download the full paper (PDF file) Supporting Information (PDF file)
Sites of overt and covert attention define simultaneous spatial reference centers for visuomotor response, Yang Zhou, Lixin Liang, Yujun Pan, Ning Qian, and Mingsha Zhang, Scientific Reports, 2017, 7: 46556; doi: 10.1038/srep46556. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Solving stereo transparency with an extended coarse-to-fine disparity energy model, Zhe Li and Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 2015, 27:1058-1082. Download the full paper (PDF file)
The company they keep: Background similarity influences transfer of aftereffects from second- to first-order stimuli, Ning Qian and Peter Dayan, Vision Research, 2013, 87:35-45. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Movement duration, Fitts's law, and an infinite-horizon optimal feedback control model for biological motor systems, Ning Qian, Yu Jiang, Zhong-Ping Jiang, and Pietro Mazzoni, Neural Computation, 2013, 25:697-724. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Multi-level visual adaptation: Dissociating curvature and facial-expression aftereffects produced by the same adapting stimuli, Hong Xu, Pan Liu, Peter Dayan, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2012, 72: 42-53. Download the full paper (PDF file)
A learning-style theory for understanding autistic behaviors, Ning Qian and Richard M. Lipkin, Froniters in Human Neuroscience, 2011, 5:77. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2011.00077. Download the full paper (PDF file)
V1 orientation plasticity is explained by broadly tuned feedforward inputs and intracortical sharpening , Andrew F. Teich and Ning Qian, Vis. Neuroscience., 2010, 27:57-73. Download the full paper (PDF file)
The role of background statistics in face adaptation , Jianhua Wu, Hong Xu, Peter Dayan, and Ning Qian J. Neurosci., 2009, 29(39):12035-12044. Download the full paper (PDF); Supplemental File 1(QuickTime); Supplemental File 2(QuickTime); Supplemental File 3(PDF); Correction(PDF)
Pulfrich phenomena are coded effectively by a joint motion-disparity process , Ning Qian and Ralph D. Freeman, J. Vision., 2009 9(5):24, 1-16. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Adaptation across the cortical hierarchy: Low level curve adaptation affects high level facial expression judgments , Hong Xu, Peter Dayan, Richard M. Lipkin, and Ning Qian, J. Neurosci., 2008, 28:3374-3383. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Solving da Vinci stereopsis with depth-edge-selective V2 cells, Andrew Assee and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2007, 47:2585-2602. Download the full paper (PDF file), Corrected Fig. 6D (PDF file)
Cross-fixation transfer of motion aftereffects with expansion motion , Xin Meng, Pietro Mazzoni, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2006, 46:3681-3689. Download the full paper (PDF file)
An Optimization Principle for Determining Movement Duration , Hirokazu Tanaka, John Krakauer, and Ning Qian, J. Neurophysiol., 2006, 95:3875-3886. Download the full paper (PDF file)
A Comparison among some Models of V1 Orientation Selectivity , Andrew F. Teich and Ning Qian, J. Neurophysiol., 2006, 96:404-419. Download the full paper (PDF file)
The oblique effect depends on perceived, rather than physical, orientation and direction , Xin Meng and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2005, 45:3402-3413. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Effects of Attention on Motion Repulsion, Yuzhi Chen, Xin Meng, Nestor Matthews, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2005, 45:1329-1339. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Is Depth Perception of Stereo Plaids Predicted by Intersection of Constraints, Vector Average or Second-order Feature?, Louise Delicato and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2005, 45:75-89. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Different Predictions by the Minimum Variance and Minimum Torque-Change Models on the Skewness of Movement Velocity Profiles, Hirokazu Tanaka, Meihua Tai, and Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 2004, 16:2021-2040. Download the full paper (PDF file)
A Coarse-to-fine Disparity Energy Model with both Phase-shift and Position-shift Receptive Field Mechanisms, Yuzhi Chen and Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 2004, 16:1545-1577. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Learning Motion Discrimination with Suppressed MT, Hongjing Lu, Ning Qian, and Zili Liu, Vision Research, 2004, 44:1817-1825. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Both Monocular and Binocular Signals Contribute to Motion Rivalry , Xin Meng, Yuzhi Chen, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2004, 44:45-55. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Learning and Adaptation in a Recurrent Model of V1 Orientation Selectivity , Andrew F. Teich and Ning Qian, J. Neurophysiol., 2003, 89:2086-2100. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.15MB) (PDF file, 0.26MB)
A physiological theory of depth perception from vertical disparity , Nestor Matthews, Xin Meng, Peng Xu, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2003, 43:85-99. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.18MB) (PDF file, 0.22MB)
Computing relief structure from motion with a distributed velocity and disparity representation, Julian Martin Fernandez, Brendon Watson, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2002, 42:883-898. Download the full paper (PDF file, 1.3MB)
A model for stochastic resonance-type behavior in sensory perception, Yunfan Gong, Nestor Matthews, and Ning Qian, Physical Review E, 2002, 65:031904. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.083MB)
Motion Rivalry Impairs Motion Repulsion , Yuzhi Chen, Nestor Matthews, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2001, 41:3639-3647. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.24MB)
Practising orientation identification improves orientation coding in V1 neurons, Aniek Schoups, Rufin Vogels, Ning Qian, and Guy Orban, Nature, 2001, 412:549-553. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.31MB)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Differentially Affects Speed and Direction Judgments, Nestor Matthews, Bruce Luber, Ning Qian, and S Holly Lisanby, Exp. Brain Res., 2001, 140:397-406. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.55MB)
Modeling V1 Disparity Tuning to Time-varying Stimuli , Yuzhi Chen, Yunjiu Wang, and Ning Qian, J. Neurophysiol. 2001, 86:143-155. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.31MB)
The Effect of Orientation Learning on Contrast Sensitivity , Nestor Matthews, Zili Liu, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2001, 41:463-471. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.13MB)
A Physiologically-Based Explanation of Disparity Attraction and Repulsion , Samuel Mikaelian and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2000, 40:2999-3016. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.28MB)
Dependence of Motion Repulsion and Rivalry on the Distance between Moving Elements, Nestor Matthews, Bard J. Geesaman, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 2000, 40:2025-2036. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.21MB)
Relationship between Phase and Energy Methods for Disparity Computation , Ning Qian and Samual Mikaelian, Neural Computation, 2000, 12:279-292. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.13MB) (PDF file)
Perceptual Learning on Orientation and Direction Discrimination, Nestor Matthews, Zili Liu, Bard J. Geesaman, and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 1999, 39:3692-3701. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.20MB)
Axis-of-Motion Affects Direction Discrimination, Not Speed Discrimination , Nestor Matthews and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 1999, 39:2205-2211. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.21MB)
On the Momentum Term in Gradient Descent Learning Algorithms, Ning Qian, Neural Networks, 1999, 12:145-151. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.18MB) (PDF file, 0.32MB)
The Effect of Complex Motion Pattern on Speed Perception , Bard J. Geesaman and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 1998, 38:1223-1231. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.85MB)
Binocular Disparity and the Perception of Depth [review], Ning Qian, Neuron, 1997, 18:359-368. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.16MB) (PDF file, 0.16MB)
Physiological Computation of Binocular Disparity , Ning Qian and Yudong Zhu, Vision Research, 1997, 37:1811-1827. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.85MB) (PDF file, 1.64MB) (Correction)
A Physiological Model for Motion-stereo Integration and a Unified Explanation of Pulfrich-like Phenomena , Ning Qian and Richard A. Andersen, Vision Research, 1997, 37:1683-1698. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.69MB) (PDF file, 1.92MB)
A Novel Speed Illusion Involving Expansion and Rotation Patterns , Bard J. Geesaman and Ning Qian, Vision Research, 1996, 36:3281-3292. Download the full paper (PDF file, 2.28MB)
Binocular Receptive Field Profiles, Disparity Tuning and Characteristic Disparity , Yudong Zhu and Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 1996, 8:1611-1641. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.29MB) (PDF file)
Generalization and Analysis of the Lisberger-Sejnowski VOR Model, Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 1995, 7:735-752. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.13MB) (PDF file)
V1 Responses to Transparent and Non-transparent Motions , Ning Qian and Richard A. Andersen, Exp. Brain Res., 1995, 103:41-50. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Integration of Motion and Stereopsis in Cortical Area MT of the Macaque , David C. Bradley, Ning Qian and Richard A. Andersen, Nature, 1995, 373:609-611. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Computing Stereo Disparity and Motion with Known Binocular Cell Properties, Ning Qian, Neural Computation, 1994, 6:390-404. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.1MB) (PDF file)
Transparent Motion Perception as Detection of Unbalanced Motion Signals III: Modeling , Ning Qian, Richard A. Andersen and Edward H. Adelson, J. Neurosci. 1994, 14:7381-7392. Download the full paper (compressed PostScript file, 0.29MB) (PDF file, 0.56MB)
Transparent Motion Perception as Detection of Unbalanced Motion Signals II: Physiology , Ning Qian and Richard A. Andersen, J. Neurosci. 1994, 14:7367-7380. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Transparent Motion Perception as Detection of Unbalanced Motion Signals I: Psychophysics , Ning Qian, Richard A. Andersen and Edward H. Adelson, J. Neurosci. 1994, 14:7357-7366. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.21MB)
When Is an Inhibitory Synapse Effective? , Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1990, 87:8145-8149. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Learning to Solve Random-Dot Stereograms of Dense and Transparent Surfaces with Recurrent Backpropagation , Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, Proceedings of the 1988 Connectionist Models Summer School, Morgan Kaufmann, 1989, 435-443. Download the full paper (PDF file)
An Electro-Diffusion Model for Computing Membrane Potentials and Ionic Concentrations in Branching Dendrites, Spines and Axons , Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, Biol. Cybern., 1989, 62:1-15. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Predicting the Secondary Structure of Globular Proteins Using Neural Network Models , Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, J. Mol. Biol., 1988, 202:865-884. Download the full paper (PDF file)

Book Chapters

Physiologically based models of binocular depth perception, Ning Qian and Yongjie Li, in Vision in 3D Environments (L. R. Harris and M. Jenkin, eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2011, 11-45. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Physiologically Based Models of Stereovision and Motion-stereo Integration (in Chinese), Ning Qian, in Cognitive Neuroscience (Y. Luo, ed.), Peking Univesity Press, Beijing, China, 2005.
The Organization of Global Motion and Transparency, Oliver Braddick and Ning Qian, in Motion Vision - Computational, Neural, and Ecological Constraints (J. M. Zanker and Z. Jochen, eds.), Springer-Verlag, 2001, 86-112. Download the full paper (PDF file, 0.19MB)
Chapters 21-25, Ning Qian, in Essentials of Neural Science and Behavior Study Guide & Practice Problems (R. Calabrese, J. Gordon, R. Hawkins and N. Qian), Appleton-Lange, 1995, 223-260.
From Directions of Motion to Patterns of Motion: Hierarchies of Motion Analysis in the Visual Cortex, Richard A Andersen, Stefan Treue, Michael Graziano, Robert J. Snowden and Ning Qian, in Brain Mechanisms of Memory (T. Ono et al., eds.), Oxford University Press, 1993, 193-199
Synaptic Integration by Electro-Diffusion in Dendritic Spines, Terrence J. Sejnowski and Ning Qian, in Single Neuron Computation (T. McKenna, J. Davis and S. F. Zornetzer, eds.), Academic Press, 1992 117-139. Download the full paper (PDF file)
Predicting the Secondary Structure of Globular Proteins Using Neural Network Models, Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, in Neurocomputing (J. A. Anderson, A. Pellionisz and E. Rosenfield, eds.), MIT Press, 1990, 680-699.
Learning to Predict the Secondary Structure of Globular Proteins, Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, Evolution, Learning, and Cognition (Y. C. Lee, ed.), World Scientific, (1989) 257-275
Electro-Diffusion Model of Electrical Conduction in Neuronal Processes, Ning Qian and Terrence J. Sejnowski, in Cellular Mechanisms of Conditioning and Behavioral Plasticity (C. W. Woody, D. L. Alkon and J. L. McGaugh, eds), Plenum, 1988, 237-244.

Ning Qian, Ph. D.
Professor of Neuroscience

[email protected] (email)
www.columbia.edu/~nq6 (web)