1
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Signorelli L, Manzoni A, Sætra MJ. Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis of neuron models with ion concentration dynamics. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303822. [PMID: 38771746 PMCID: PMC11108148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper provides a comprehensive and computationally efficient case study for uncertainty quantification (UQ) and global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in a neuron model incorporating ion concentration dynamics. We address how challenges with UQ and GSA in this context can be approached and solved, including challenges related to computational cost, parameters affecting the system's resting state, and the presence of both fast and slow dynamics. Specifically, we analyze the electrodiffusive neuron-extracellular-glia (edNEG) model, which captures electrical potentials, ion concentrations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl-), and volume changes across six compartments. Our methodology includes a UQ procedure assessing the model's reliability and susceptibility to input uncertainty and a variance-based GSA identifying the most influential input parameters. To mitigate computational costs, we employ surrogate modeling techniques, optimized using efficient numerical integration methods. We propose a strategy for isolating parameters affecting the resting state and analyze the edNEG model dynamics under both physiological and pathological conditions. The influence of uncertain parameters on model outputs, particularly during spiking dynamics, is systematically explored. Rapid dynamics of membrane potentials necessitate a focus on informative spiking features, while slower variations in ion concentrations allow a meaningful study at each time point. Our study offers valuable guidelines for future UQ and GSA investigations on neuron models with ion concentration dynamics, contributing to the broader application of such models in computational neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Signorelli
- Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
- Department of Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrea Manzoni
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marte J. Sætra
- Department of Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
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2
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Ghosh SK, Walocha JA. Evolution of staining methods in neuroanatomy: Impetus for emanation of neuron doctrine during the turn of 20th century. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38523436 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The nervous system is distinctive as compared to other tissue systems in human body owing to intricate structural organization. Histological studies played a key role in unveiling complex details of nervous tissue. However, the process of developing suitable staining method for nerve cells was arduous and spanned across almost half a century. The present study explored details of the journey involving quest for propitious staining method in neuroanatomy culminating in promulgation of neuron doctrine at the onset of 20th century. Initial efforts involving hematoxylin (including its diverse modifications) and subsequent adoption of analogous dye-based stains (like Nissl's method) had limited success in visualization of different parts of a nerve cell and structural details of nervous tissue. This was due to inability of dye-based stains to penetrate the connective tissue sheath of nervous tissue. Eventually, advent of metallic stains in form of silver impregnation method (Golgi stain), reduced silver impregnation method with gold stain (Cajal's stain) and silver carbonate staining method of Río-Hortega unraveled the structure of nervous tissue. The evolution of staining methods catalyzed the refinement of theories pertinent to constitution of nervous tissue. Golgi's staining led to emergence of reticular theory (neurons exist as a network) and Nissl's staining was the basis of the concept of Nervösen Grau (nerve cells and glial cells are embedded in mass of gray matter). Finally, Cajal's staining method successfully elucidated the complex anatomy of nerve terminals and resulted in emanation of neuron doctrine (neurons exists as individual units with adjacent connections).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjib Kumar Ghosh
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Jerzy A Walocha
- Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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3
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Xia X, Li L, Cheng Z, Chen Q, Huang T, Yu Y, Shang L. Comprehensive bibliometric research in neuroscience: focusing on ophthalmology. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1106023. [PMID: 37397445 PMCID: PMC10308020 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1106023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to comprehensively summarize the knowledge structure and research hotspots of ophthalmology in the field of neuroscience through bibliometric and visual analysis. Methods We searched the Web of Science Core Collection database for articles from 2002 to 2021 related to ophthalmology in the field of neuroscience. Using VOSviewer and CiteSpace, bibliometric analysis was conducted on the number of annual ophthalmology publications, authors, organizations, countries, journals, cited references, keywords, and burst keywords. Results A total of 9,179 articles were published from 34,073 authors, 4,987 organizations, and 87 countries. The cited references in these articles were published in 23,054 journals. Moreover, there were 30,864 keywords among the 9,179 articles. Notably, scholars have increasingly begun paying attention to ophthalmology in the field of neuroscience in the past 20 years. Claudio Babiloni published the most articles. The University of Washington had the greatest number of articles. The United States, Germany, and England led in the number of articles published. The Journal of Neuroscience was the most cited. The article with the highest outbreak intensity was an article published by Maurizio Corbetta in Nature Reviews Neuroscience in 2002 entitled "Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention in the brain." The most important keyword was the brain, and the top burst keyword was functional connectivity. Conclusion This study visualized ophthalmology research in the field of neuroscience through bibliometric analysis and predicted potential research trends in future to help clinicians and basic researchers provide diversified perspectives and further carry out in-depth research on ophthalmology.
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4
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Valeriani D, Santoro F, Ienca M. The present and future of neural interfaces. Front Neurorobot 2022; 16:953968. [PMID: 36304780 PMCID: PMC9592849 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2022.953968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The 2020's decade will likely witness an unprecedented development and deployment of neurotechnologies for human rehabilitation, personalized use, and cognitive or other enhancement. New materials and algorithms are already enabling active brain monitoring and are allowing the development of biohybrid and neuromorphic systems that can adapt to the brain. Novel brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proposed to tackle a variety of enhancement and therapeutic challenges, from improving decision-making to modulating mood disorders. While these BCIs have generally been developed in an open-loop modality to optimize their internal neural decoders, this decade will increasingly witness their validation in closed-loop systems that are able to continuously adapt to the user's mental states. Therefore, a proactive ethical approach is needed to ensure that these new technological developments go hand in hand with the development of a sound ethical framework. In this perspective article, we summarize recent developments in neural interfaces, ranging from neurohybrid synapses to closed-loop BCIs, and thereby identify the most promising macro-trends in BCI research, such as simulating vs. interfacing the brain, brain recording vs. brain stimulation, and hardware vs. software technology. Particular attention is devoted to central nervous system interfaces, especially those with application in healthcare and human enhancement. Finally, we critically assess the possible futures of neural interfacing and analyze the short- and long-term implications of such neurotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Santoro
- Institute for Biological Information Processing - Bioelectronics, IBI-3, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Juelich, Germany
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcello Ienca
- College of Humanities, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Marcello Ienca
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5
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Dvoretskii S, Gong Z, Gupta A, Parent J, Alicea B. Braitenberg Vehicles as Developmental Neurosimulation. ARTIFICIAL LIFE 2022; 28:369-395. [PMID: 35881679 DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Connecting brain and behavior is a longstanding issue in the areas of behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and neurobiology. As is standard among models of artificial and biological neural networks, an analogue of the fully mature brain is presented as a blank slate. However, this does not consider the realities of biological development and developmental learning. Our purpose is to model the development of an artificial organism that exhibits complex behaviors. We introduce three alternate approaches to demonstrate how developmental embodied agents can be implemented. The resulting developmental Braitenberg vehicles (dBVs) will generate behaviors ranging from stimulus responses to group behavior that resembles collective motion. We will situate this work in the domain of artificial brain networks along with broader themes such as embodied cognition, feedback, and emergence. Our perspective is exemplified by three software instantiations that demonstrate how a BV-genetic algorithm hybrid model, a multisensory Hebbian learning model, and multi-agent approaches can be used to approach BV development. We introduce use cases such as optimized spatial cognition (vehicle-genetic algorithm hybrid model), hinges connecting behavioral and neural models (multisensory Hebbian learning model), and cumulative classification (multi-agent approaches). In conclusion, we consider future applications of the developmental neurosimulation approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bradly Alicea
- Orthogonal Research and Education Laboratory
- OpenWorm Foundation.
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6
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D'Angelo E, Jirsa V. The quest for multiscale brain modeling. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:777-790. [PMID: 35906100 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Addressing the multiscale organization of the brain, which is fundamental to the dynamic repertoire of the organ, remains challenging. In principle, it should be possible to model neurons and synapses in detail and then connect them into large neuronal assemblies to explain the relationship between microscopic phenomena, large-scale brain functions, and behavior. It is more difficult to infer neuronal functions from ensemble measurements such as those currently obtained with brain activity recordings. In this article we consider theories and strategies for combining bottom-up models, generated from principles of neuronal biophysics, with top-down models based on ensemble representations of network activity and on functional principles. These integrative approaches are hoped to provide effective multiscale simulations in virtual brains and neurorobots, and pave the way to future applications in medicine and information technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egidio D'Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, and Brain Connectivity Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Viktor Jirsa
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) Unité 1106, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and University of Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
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7
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Arévalo A, Simoes E, Petinati F, Lepski G. What Does the General Public Know (or Not) About Neuroscience? Effects of Age, Region and Profession in Brazil. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:798967. [PMID: 35308611 PMCID: PMC8930840 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.798967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of Neuroscience has experienced a growing interest in recent decades, which has led to an exponential growth in the amount of related information made available online as well as the market for Neuroscience-related courses. While this type of knowledge can be greatly beneficial to people working in science, health and education, it can also benefit individuals in other areas. For example, neuroscience knowledge can help people from all fields better understand and critique information about new discoveries or products, and even make better education- and health-related decisions. Online platforms are fertile ground for the creation and spread of fake information, including misrepresentations of scientific knowledge or new discoveries (e.g., neuromyths). These types of false information, once spread, can be difficult to tear down and may have widespread negative effects. For example, even scientists are less likely to access retractions of peer-reviewed articles than the original discredited articles. In this study we surveyed general knowledge about neuroscience and the brain among volunteers in Brazil, Latin America's largest country. We were interested in evaluating the prevalence of neuromyths in this region, and test whether knowledge/neuromyth endorsement differs by age, region, and/or profession. To that end, we created a 30-item survey that was anonymously answered online by 1128 individuals. While younger people (20-29-year-olds) generally responded more accurately than people 60 and older, people in the North responded significantly worse than those in the South and Southeast. Most interestingly, people in the biological sciences consistently responded best, but people in the health sciences responded no better than people in the exact sciences or humanities. Furthermore, years of schooling did not correlate with performance, suggesting that quantity may surpass quality when it comes to extension or graduate-level course offerings. We discuss how our findings can help guide efforts toward improving access to quality information and training in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analía Arévalo
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Estefania Simoes
- Cancer Metabolism Research Group, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Petinati
- Psychotherapy Department, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Lepski
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Neurosurgery, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Linking Brain Structure, Activity, and Cognitive Function through Computation. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0316-21.2022. [PMID: 35217544 PMCID: PMC8925650 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0316-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the human brain is a “Grand Challenge” for 21st century research. Computational approaches enable large and complex datasets to be addressed efficiently, supported by artificial neural networks, modeling and simulation. Dynamic generative multiscale models, which enable the investigation of causation across scales and are guided by principles and theories of brain function, are instrumental for linking brain structure and function. An example of a resource enabling such an integrated approach to neuroscientific discovery is the BigBrain, which spatially anchors tissue models and data across different scales and ensures that multiscale models are supported by the data, making the bridge to both basic neuroscience and medicine. Research at the intersection of neuroscience, computing and robotics has the potential to advance neuro-inspired technologies by taking advantage of a growing body of insights into perception, plasticity and learning. To render data, tools and methods, theories, basic principles and concepts interoperable, the Human Brain Project (HBP) has launched EBRAINS, a digital neuroscience research infrastructure, which brings together a transdisciplinary community of researchers united by the quest to understand the brain, with fascinating insights and perspectives for societal benefits.
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9
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Alves LA, Ferreira NCDS, Maricato V, Alberto AVP, Dias EA, Jose Aguiar Coelho N. Graph Neural Networks as a Potential Tool in Improving Virtual Screening Programs. Front Chem 2022; 9:787194. [PMID: 35127645 PMCID: PMC8811035 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.787194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing number of pharmaceutical companies, university laboratories and funding, less than one percent of initially researched drugs enter the commercial market. In this context, virtual screening (VS) has gained much attention due to several advantages, including timesaving, reduced reagent and consumable costs and the performance of selective analyses regarding the affinity between test molecules and pharmacological targets. Currently, VS is based mainly on algorithms that apply physical and chemistry principles and quantum mechanics to estimate molecule affinities and conformations, among others. Nevertheless, VS has not reached the expected results concerning the improvement of market-approved drugs, comprising less than twenty drugs that have reached this goal to date. In this context, graph neural networks (GNN), a recent deep-learning subtype, may comprise a powerful tool to improve VS results concerning natural products that may be used both simultaneously with standard algorithms or isolated. This review discusses the pros and cons of GNN applied to VS and the future perspectives of this learnable algorithm, which may revolutionize drug discovery if certain obstacles concerning spatial coordinates and adequate datasets, among others, can be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Anastacio Alves
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute – Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Luiz Anastacio Alves,
| | | | - Victor Maricato
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute – Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Evellyn Araujo Dias
- Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute – Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nt Jose Aguiar Coelho
- National Institute of Industrial Property - INPI and Veiga de Almeida University - UVA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Huang C, Zeldenrust F, Celikel T. Cortical Representation of Touch in Silico. Neuroinformatics 2022; 20:1013-1039. [PMID: 35486347 PMCID: PMC9588483 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-022-09576-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
With its six layers and ~ 12,000 neurons, a cortical column is a complex network whose function is plausibly greater than the sum of its constituents'. Functional characterization of its network components will require going beyond the brute-force modulation of the neural activity of a small group of neurons. Here we introduce an open-source, biologically inspired, computationally efficient network model of the somatosensory cortex's granular and supragranular layers after reconstructing the barrel cortex in soma resolution. Comparisons of the network activity to empirical observations showed that the in silico network replicates the known properties of touch representations and whisker deprivation-induced changes in synaptic strength induced in vivo. Simulations show that the history of the membrane potential acts as a spatial filter that determines the presynaptic population of neurons contributing to a post-synaptic action potential; this spatial filtering might be critical for synaptic integration of top-down and bottom-up information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Huang
- grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Department of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fleur Zeldenrust
- grid.5590.90000000122931605Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tansu Celikel
- grid.5590.90000000122931605Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands ,grid.213917.f0000 0001 2097 4943School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA
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11
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Wolff A, Gomez-Pilar J, Zhang J, Choueiry J, de la Salle S, Knott V, Northoff G. It's in the Timing: Reduced Temporal Precision in Neural Activity of Schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:3441-3456. [PMID: 34875019 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of perception and cognition in schizophrenia (SCZ) show neuronal background noise (ongoing activity) to intermittently overwhelm the processing of external stimuli. This increased noise, relative to the activity evoked by the stimulus, results in temporal imprecision and higher variability of behavioral responses. What, however, are the neural correlates of temporal imprecision in SCZ behavior? We first report a decrease in electroencephalography signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in two SCZ datasets and tasks in the broadband (1-80 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), and alpha (8-13 Hz) bands. SCZ participants also show lower inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC)-consistency over trials in the phase of the signal-in theta. From these ITPC results, we varied phase offsets in a computational simulation, which illustrated phase-based temporal desynchronization. This modeling also provided a necessary link to our results and showed decreased neural synchrony in SCZ in both datasets and tasks when compared with healthy controls. Finally, we showed that reduced SNR and ITPC are related and showed a relationship to temporal precision on the behavioral level, namely reaction times. In conclusion, we demonstrate how temporal imprecision in SCZ neural activity-reduced relative signal strength and phase coherence-mediates temporal imprecision on the behavioral level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemarie Wolff
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Javier Gomez-Pilar
- Biomedical Engineering Group, Higher Technical School of Telecommunications Engineering, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.,College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Joelle Choueiry
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Sara de la Salle
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada.,Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
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12
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A graph-based approach for representing, integrating and analysing neuroscience data: the case of the murine basal ganglia. DATA TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/dta-12-2020-0303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeNeuroscience data are spread across a variety of sources, typically provisioned through ad-hoc and non-standard approaches and formats and often have no connection to the related data sources. These make it difficult for researchers to understand, integrate and reuse brain-related data. The aim of this study is to show that a graph-based approach offers an effective mean for representing, analysing and accessing brain-related data, which is highly interconnected, evolving over time and often needed in combination.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present an approach for organising brain-related data in a graph model. The approach is exemplified in the case of a unique data set of quantitative neuroanatomical data about the murine basal ganglia––a group of nuclei in the brain essential for processing information related to movement. Specifically, the murine basal ganglia data set is modelled as a graph, integrated with relevant data from third-party repositories, published through a Web-based user interface and API, analysed from exploratory and confirmatory perspectives using popular graph algorithms to extract new insights.FindingsThe evaluation of the graph model and the results of the graph data analysis and usability study of the user interface suggest that graph-based data management in the neuroscience domain is a promising approach, since it enables integration of various disparate data sources and improves understanding and usability of data.Originality/valueThe study provides a practical and generic approach for representing, integrating, analysing and provisioning brain-related data and a set of software tools to support the proposed approach.
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13
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Timsit Y, Grégoire SP. Towards the Idea of Molecular Brains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111868. [PMID: 34769300 PMCID: PMC8584932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How can single cells without nervous systems perform complex behaviours such as habituation, associative learning and decision making, which are considered the hallmark of animals with a brain? Are there molecular systems that underlie cognitive properties equivalent to those of the brain? This review follows the development of the idea of molecular brains from Darwin’s “root brain hypothesis”, through bacterial chemotaxis, to the recent discovery of neuron-like r-protein networks in the ribosome. By combining a structural biology view with a Bayesian brain approach, this review explores the evolutionary labyrinth of information processing systems across scales. Ribosomal protein networks open a window into what were probably the earliest signalling systems to emerge before the radiation of the three kingdoms. While ribosomal networks are characterised by long-lasting interactions between their protein nodes, cell signalling networks are essentially based on transient interactions. As a corollary, while signals propagated in persistent networks may be ephemeral, networks whose interactions are transient constrain signals diffusing into the cytoplasm to be durable in time, such as post-translational modifications of proteins or second messenger synthesis. The duration and nature of the signals, in turn, implies different mechanisms for the integration of multiple signals and decision making. Evolution then reinvented networks with persistent interactions with the development of nervous systems in metazoans. Ribosomal protein networks and simple nervous systems display architectural and functional analogies whose comparison could suggest scale invariance in information processing. At the molecular level, the significant complexification of eukaryotic ribosomal protein networks is associated with a burst in the acquisition of new conserved aromatic amino acids. Knowing that aromatic residues play a critical role in allosteric receptors and channels, this observation suggests a general role of π systems and their interactions with charged amino acids in multiple signal integration and information processing. We think that these findings may provide the molecular basis for designing future computers with organic processors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youri Timsit
- Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, 13288 Marseille, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergeant-Perthuis Grégoire
- Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu—Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG), UMR 7586, CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, 75013 Paris, France;
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14
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Reed JD, Blackwell KT. Prediction of Neural Diameter From Morphology to Enable Accurate Simulation. Front Neuroinform 2021; 15:666695. [PMID: 34149388 PMCID: PMC8209307 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2021.666695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate neuron morphologies are paramount for computational model simulations of realistic neural responses. Over the last decade, the online repository NeuroMorpho.Org has collected over 140,000 available neuron morphologies to understand brain function and promote interaction between experimental and computational research. Neuron morphologies describe spatial aspects of neural structure; however, many of the available morphologies do not contain accurate diameters that are essential for computational simulations of electrical activity. To best utilize available neuron morphologies, we present a set of equations that predict dendritic diameter from other morphological features. To derive the equations, we used a set of NeuroMorpho.org archives with realistic neuron diameters, representing hippocampal pyramidal, cerebellar Purkinje, and striatal spiny projection neurons. Each morphology is separated into initial, branching children, and continuing nodes. Our analysis reveals that the diameter of preceding nodes, Parent Diameter, is correlated to diameter of subsequent nodes for all cell types. Branching children and initial nodes each required additional morphological features to predict diameter, such as path length to soma, total dendritic length, and longest path to terminal end. Model simulations reveal that membrane potential response with predicted diameters is similar to the original response for several tested morphologies. We provide our open source software to extend the utility of available NeuroMorpho.org morphologies, and suggest predictive equations may supplement morphologies that lack dendritic diameter and improve model simulations with realistic dendritic diameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Reed
- Krasnow Institute of Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States.,Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Kim T Blackwell
- Krasnow Institute of Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, Volgenau School of Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
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15
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Lamballais S, Muetzel RL. QDECR: A Flexible, Extensible Vertex-Wise Analysis Framework in R. Front Neuroinform 2021; 15:561689. [PMID: 33967730 PMCID: PMC8100226 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2021.561689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is fundamental to the functioning of the mind and body. In vivo cortical morphology can be studied through magnetic resonance imaging in several ways, including reconstructing surface-based models of the cortex. However, existing software for surface-based statistical analyses cannot accommodate "big data" or commonly used statistical methods such as the imputation of missing data, extensive bias correction, and non-linear modeling. To address these shortcomings, we developed the QDECR package, a flexible and extensible R package for group-level statistical analysis of cortical morphology. QDECR was written with large population-based epidemiological studies in mind and was designed to fully utilize the extensive modeling options in R. QDECR currently supports vertex-wise linear regression. Design matrix generation can be done through simple, familiar R formula specification, and includes user-friendly extensions for R options such as polynomials, splines, interactions and other terms. QDECR can handle unimputed and imputed datasets with thousands of participants. QDECR has a modular design, and new statistical models can be implemented which utilize several aspects from other generic modules which comprise QDECR. In summary, QDECR provides a framework for vertex-wise surface-based analyses that enables flexible statistical modeling and features commonly used in population-based and clinical studies, which have until now been largely absent from neuroimaging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Lamballais
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ryan L. Muetzel
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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16
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Abstract
The recent trend toward an industrialization of brain exploration and the technological prowess of artificial intelligence algorithms and high-performance computing has caught the imagination of the public. These impressive advances are fueling an uncontrolled societal hype, the more amplified, the more "Blue Sky" the claim is. Will we ever be able to simulate a brain in silico? Will "it" (the digital avatar) be conscious? The Blue Brain Project (BBP) and the European flagship the Human Brain Project (HBP) have surfed on this wave for the past 10 years. Their already significant lifetimes now offer new case studies for neuroscience sociology and epistemology, as the projects mature. Their distinctive "Blue Sky" flavor has been a key feature in securing unprecedented funding (more than one billion Euros) mostly through supranational institutions. The longitudinal analysis of these ventures provides clues to how the neuromyth they propagate sells science, in a scientific world based on an economy of promises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Frégnac
- UNIC-NeuroPSI, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
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17
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Bishop JM. Artificial Intelligence Is Stupid and Causal Reasoning Will Not Fix It. Front Psychol 2021; 11:513474. [PMID: 33584394 PMCID: PMC7874145 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.513474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial Neural Networks have reached “grandmaster” and even “super-human” performance across a variety of games, from those involving perfect information, such as Go, to those involving imperfect information, such as “Starcraft”. Such technological developments from artificial intelligence (AI) labs have ushered concomitant applications across the world of business, where an “AI” brand-tag is quickly becoming ubiquitous. A corollary of such widespread commercial deployment is that when AI gets things wrong—an autonomous vehicle crashes, a chatbot exhibits “racist” behavior, automated credit-scoring processes “discriminate” on gender, etc.—there are often significant financial, legal, and brand consequences, and the incident becomes major news. As Judea Pearl sees it, the underlying reason for such mistakes is that “... all the impressive achievements of deep learning amount to just curve fitting.” The key, as Pearl suggests, is to replace “reasoning by association” with “causal reasoning” —the ability to infer causes from observed phenomena. It is a point that was echoed by Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis in a recent piece for the New York Times: “we need to stop building computer systems that merely get better and better at detecting statistical patterns in data sets—often using an approach known as ‘Deep Learning’—and start building computer systems that from the moment of their assembly innately grasp three basic concepts: time, space, and causality.” In this paper, foregrounding what in 1949 Gilbert Ryle termed “a category mistake”, I will offer an alternative explanation for AI errors; it is not so much that AI machinery cannot “grasp” causality, but that AI machinery (qua computation) cannot understand anything at all.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Mark Bishop
- Department of Computing, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Bhardwaj P, Kulasiri D, Samarasinghe S. Modeling protein-protein interactions in axon initial segment to understand their potential impact on action potential initiation. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:700-706. [PMID: 33063731 PMCID: PMC8067952 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.295332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) region is crucial for action potential initiation due to the presence of high-density AIS protein voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav). Nav channels comprise several serine residues responsible for the recruitment of Nav channels into the structure of AIS through interactions with ankyrin-G (AnkG). In this study, a series of computational experiments are performed to understand the role of AIS proteins casein kinase 2 and AnkG on Nav channel recruitment into the AIS. The computational simulation results using Virtual cell software indicate that Nav channels with all serine sites available for phosphorylation bind to AnkG with strong affinity. At the low initial concentration of AnkG and casein kinase 2, the concentration of Nav channels reduces significantly, suggesting the importance of casein kinase 2 and AnkG in the recruitment of Nav channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyush Bhardwaj
- Centre of Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS); Department of Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Don Kulasiri
- Centre of Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS); Department of Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sandhya Samarasinghe
- Centre of Advanced Computational Solutions (C-fACS), Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
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19
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Tanskanen JM, Ahtiainen A, Hyttinen JA. Toward Closed-Loop Electrical Stimulation of Neuronal Systems: A Review. Bioelectricity 2020; 2:328-347. [PMID: 34471853 PMCID: PMC8370352 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2020.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological neuronal cells communicate using neurochemistry and electrical signals. The same phenomena also allow us to probe and manipulate neuronal systems and communicate with them. Neuronal system malfunctions cause a multitude of symptoms and functional deficiencies that can be assessed and sometimes alleviated by electrical stimulation. Our working hypothesis is that real-time closed-loop full-duplex measurement and stimulation paradigms can provide more in-depth insight into neuronal networks and enhance our capability to control diseases of the nervous system. In this study, we review extracellular electrical stimulation methods used in in vivo, in vitro, and in silico neuroscience research and in the clinic (excluding methods mainly aimed at neuronal growth and other similar effects) and highlight the potential of closed-loop measurement and stimulation systems. A multitude of electrical stimulation and measurement-based methods are widely used in research and the clinic. Closed-loop methods have been proposed, and some are used in the clinic. However, closed-loop systems utilizing more complex measurement analysis and adaptive stimulation systems, such as artificial intelligence systems connected to biological neuronal systems, do not yet exist. Our review promotes the research and development of intelligent paradigms aimed at meaningful communications between neuronal and information and communications technology systems, "dialogical paradigms," which have the potential to take neuroscience and clinical methods to a new level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno M.A. Tanskanen
- BioMediTech Institute and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Annika Ahtiainen
- BioMediTech Institute and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jari A.K. Hyttinen
- BioMediTech Institute and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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20
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Elibol R, Şengör NS. Modeling nucleus accumbens : A Computational Model from Single Cell to Circuit Level. J Comput Neurosci 2020; 49:21-35. [PMID: 33165797 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-020-00769-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nucleus accumbens is part of the neural structures required for reward based learning and cognitive processing of motivation. Understanding its cellular dynamics and its role in basal ganglia circuits is important not only in diagnosing behavioral disorders and psychiatric problems as addiction and depression but also for developing therapeutic treatments for them. Building a computational model would expand our comprehension of nucleus accumbens. In this work, we are focusing on establishing a model of nucleus accumbens which has not been considered as much as dorsal striatum in computational neuroscience. We will begin by modeling the behavior of single cells and then build a holistic model of nucleus accumbens considering the effect of synaptic currents. We will verify the validity of the model by showing the consistency of simulation results with the empirical data. Furthermore, the simulation results reveal the joint effect of cortical stimulation and dopaminergic modulation on the activity of medium spiny neurons. This effect differentiates with the type of dopamine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahmi Elibol
- Electronics and Communication Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. .,Engineering Faculty, Erzincan University, Erzincan, Turkey.
| | - Neslihan Serap Şengör
- Electronics and Communication Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
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21
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Hildt E, Laas K, Sziron M. Editorial: Shaping Ethical Futures in Brain-Based and Artificial Intelligence Research. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2020; 26:2371-2379. [PMID: 32749648 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-020-00235-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hildt
- Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, Illinois Institute of Technology, 10 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA.
| | - Kelly Laas
- Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, Illinois Institute of Technology, 10 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA
| | - Monika Sziron
- Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, Illinois Institute of Technology, 10 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA
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22
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Abstract
Emerging cybertechnologies, such as social digibots, bend epistemological conventions of life and culture already complicated by human and animal relationships. Virtually-augmented niches of machines and organic life promise new free-energy-governed selection of intelligent digital life. These provocative eco-evolutionary contexts demand a theory of (natural and artificial) minds to characterize and validate the immersive social phenomena universally-shaping cultural affordances.
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23
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Crone JC, Vindiola MM, Yu AB, Boothe DL, Beeman D, Oie KS, Franaszczuk PJ. Enabling Large-Scale Simulations With the GENESIS Neuronal Simulator. Front Neuroinform 2019; 13:69. [PMID: 31803040 PMCID: PMC6873326 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we evaluate the computational performance of the GEneral NEural SImulation System (GENESIS) for large scale simulations of neural networks. While many benchmark studies have been performed for large scale simulations with leaky integrate-and-fire neurons or neuronal models with only a few compartments, this work focuses on higher fidelity neuronal models represented by 50–74 compartments per neuron. After making some modifications to the source code for GENESIS and its parallel implementation, PGENESIS, particularly to improve memory usage, we find that PGENESIS is able to efficiently scale on supercomputing resources to network sizes as large as 9 × 106 neurons with 18 × 109 synapses and 2.2 × 106 neurons with 45 × 109 synapses. The modifications to GENESIS that enabled these large scale simulations have been incorporated into the May 2019 Official Release of PGENESIS 2.4 available for download from the GENESIS web site (genesis-sim.org).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C Crone
- Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - Manuel M Vindiola
- Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - Alfred B Yu
- Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - David L Boothe
- Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - David Beeman
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Kelvin S Oie
- Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - Piotr J Franaszczuk
- Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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