Theoretical Neuroscience

What is theoretical neuroscience?

Theoretical neuroscience is the attempt to develop mathematical and computational theories and models of the structures and processes of the brains of humans and other animals. . It differs from connectionism in trying to be more biologically accurate by modeling the behavior of large numbers of realistic neurons organized into functionally significant brain areas.

Theoretical neuroscience explanation schema

Explanation target:

• How does the brain carry out functions such as cognitive tasks?

Explanation pattern:

• The brain has neurons organized by synaptic connections into populations and brain areas.
• The neural populations have spiking patterns that are transformed via sensory inputs and the spiking patterns of other neural populations.
• Interactions of neurons organized into populations carry out functions including cognitive tasks.

Some research projects in theoretical neuroscience

Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University

Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of Waterloo

Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute

Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, London

Redwood Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience, Berkeley

Bernstein Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Berlin

Computational Neuroscience Centers

Phil/Psych 256

Computational Epistemology Laboratory.

Paul Thagard

This page updated Nov. 9. 2009