Computational Neuroscience

Question 1

Cognitive Flexibility through Metastable Neural Dynamics Is Disrupted by Damage to the Structural Connectome (peter J hellyer et al)

Answer 1

• Metastability is a dynamic regime where neural ensembles are able to coordinate rapidly, flexibly engaging and disengaging without being locked in fixed interactions
• resting fMRI to estimate metastability in healthy volunteers vs trauma
• Then use diffusion tensor imaging to estimate voxelwise and region of interest
• Then use complutational and empiricak based approaches to describe the relationship between structural connectivity, metastability and neuropsychological performance
• Widespread disruption to the structural connectome after traumatic brain injury

Question 2

Define complexity in neuroscience

Answer 2

• The structure of the brain, brain activity, or something else
• High complexity of brain activity in the normal waking state, and low when consciousness is lost
• Can be quantified by using the Lempel Ziv algorithm. , which can zip codes by looking for repeating patterns. This can be applied to EEG data.

Question 3

What is modelling?

Answer 3

• Biological - simulating molecules, synapses and neuronal activity
• Computational - how neurons behave in terms of computations
• Mechanistic - anatomy and physiology, describing experimental data and linking structure to function to behaviour