Theoretical Neuroscience Podcast

Historically, the analysis of neural recordings focused on responses of single neurons recorded by single-contact electrodes. Modern electrodes with multiple electrode contacts can instead record spikes (action potentials) from hundreds of neurons simultaneously. Manifold analysis of the overall population activity of these neurons has become a critical tool for interpretation of such data. The podcast guest is a pioneer in the development and use of such analysis.  

Neurons need particular sodium and potassium concentration gradients across their membranes to function. These gradients are set up by so-called ion pumps which require energy stored in ATP molecules to run. ATP is the common energy currency in the brain and is produced from nutrients delivered by the blood by a complicated set of chemical reactions known as a metabolic network. Today's guest has just published a comprehensive model of such a network and explains how it can shed light on differences between young and brains.

An important discovery that has come out of computational neuroscience, is that cortical neurons in vivo appear to receive so-called balanced inputs. In the balanced state the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs to a neuron are about equal, and action potentials occur when a fluctuation temporarily makes the excitation dominate. The theory, for example, explains the observed irregular firing of cortical neurons in the background state. Today's guest was one of the key developers of the theory in the late 1990s.

How can computational neuroscience contribute to developing neurotechnology to help people with brain disorders and disabilities? This was the topic of a panel debate I hosted at the 34th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting in Florence in July this year. Electric or magnetic recording and/or stimulation are key clinical tools for helping patients, and the three panelists have all used computational methods to aid this endeavor.  

In an adversarial collaboration researchers with opposing theories jointly investigate a disputed topic by designing and implementing a study in a mutually agreed unbiased way. Results from adversarial testing of two well-known theories for consciousness, Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT) and Integrated Information Theory (IIT), were presented earlier this year. In this podcast one of the proponents and developers of IIT describes this candidate theory, and also the design of, and results from, the adversarial study.