Speaker:  John Beggs, Indiana University

Title:   "Condensed grey matter: Emergent properties in networks of cortical neurons"

Abstract:  The brain, though tremendously complex, consists of many apparently similar neurons. This homogeneity has led researchers to borrow concepts from physics in an effort to explain how collective phenomena could emerge from interactions. For example, several models predict that neural networks should operate optimally near a critical point like that in a continuous phase transition, and exhibit numerous metastable states like those seen in a spin glass. The critical point may allow optimum information transmission within a network, while metastable states may be useful for information storage. Our recent experiments support these predictions. Brain slices of rat cortex can be kept alive while microelectrode arrays monitor their activity for hours or even days. Using off-line analysis, we show that many of the concepts used in condensed matter physics can be fruitfully applied to small networks of cortical neurons.

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