CNI Seminar: Eve Armstrong

Eve Armstrong
CNI post-doc
University of Pennsylvania

Crafting and testing functional architectures for pattern-generating network

Today I will discuss both modeling of biological neuronal networks and a method to test such models. First I will describe a small-scale model of nucleus HVC of the zebra finch, a region implicated in song control. The core element of the model is a functional architecture that can exhibit multiple modes of activity depending on model parameter values. Specifically, the strengths of inhibitory chemical synapses modulate a pattern of activity among excitatory neurons. The model reproduces many observed features of HVC population activity.

Next I will describe an optimization technique for determining which measurements are required to estimate unknown model parameters. Specifically, I will use simulated time series of membrane voltages to estimate the synaptic strengths and electrophysiological properties of the neurons in the HVC model, where the test of success is the ability to predict the associated mode of network activity. In addition, I will show how the procedure can "prune" a model to the maximum dimensionality required to capture observations. Finally, I will comment on plans to approach the (formidably challenging) case in which the measurements consist of real biological data.



A pizza lunch will be served.