Brain Connectivity & Machine Learning

Roberta Russo talk

Roberta Russo
Department of Physics. University of Napoli, Italy
Brain modularity controls the critical behavior of spontaneous activity
May 9, 2014. 10.00am
The human brain exhibits a complex structure made of scale-free highly connected modules loosely interconnected by weaker links to form a small-world network. These features appear in healthy patients whereas neurological diseases often modify this structure. An important open question concerns the role of brain modularity in sustaining the critical behaviour of spontaneous activity. We analyse the neuronal activity of a model, successful in reproducing on non-modular networks the scaling behaviour observed in experimental data, on a modular network implementing the main statistical features measured in human brain. We show that on a modular network, regardless the strength of the synaptic connections or the modular size and number, activity is never fully scale-free. Neuronal avalanches can invade different modules which results in an activity depression, hindering further avalanche propagation. Critical behaviour is solely recovered if inter-module connections are added, modifying the modular into a more random structure.
More information at:
R Russo, HJ Herrmann and L de Arcangelis. Brain modularity controls the critical behavior of spontaneous activity. Scientific Reports 4: 4312, 2014
and ARVIX.org

This website uses its own cookies for its proper functioning and better user experience. By navigating this website and/or clicking the Accept button, you agree to the use of these technologies and the processing of your data for these purposes. More information    Privacy policy
Privacidad