Computations and Organization of Retes Through the Interaction of\nComputational, Optical and Neurophysiological Investigations of the Cerebral cortex

Corticonics, echoing electronics, consists of abstracting salient features of cortical organization for use in the simulation of the cortex executing higher level brain functions. Our final objective is to identify computational principles of the cerebral cortex underlying network dynamic patterns. In our long term vision, interfacing with the brain will take place: i) Towards the brain, delivering stimuli onto the nervous tissue to induce recovery, correct imbalances or to augment function and cognition, and ii) From the brain: to be able to operate machines by thinking. Both interfaces require a detailed understanding of brain function. Our project has a multilevel experimental approach, covering scales from the micro to the macro, combined with a theoretical/computational approach. We take slow oscillations observed during sleep or anaesthesia as a basic dynamic pattern constrained by features of the excitability distribution in the neural tissue. We aim to identify these features by analysing the generation and propagation of activity and its susceptibility to interference. Progressively we will wake up the cortex in order to identify the features that are critical in adding computational complexity to the system.
To achieve this we start by developing novel recording tools to obtain detailed subcellular and large cortical area recordings while we will further develop electrical and targeted optogenetic stimulation for the spatiotemporal control of activity. Based on this mesoscopic and modular approach we will provide a computational equivalent of the properties of a macroscopic region of neural tissue described as an excitable medium, and carry out large scale simulations made possible by a cutting-edge distributed computing facility.
The approach and technologies developed here will have long term implications for areas including brain-computer interfaces, brain repair, brain modelling and massive scale computing.