January 18, 2016　　16:10 〜 17:10

CiNet 1F Conference Room

Takamitsu Watanabe

Marie Curie Research Fellow, Univerisity College London

Host: Nobuhiro Hagura (Ikegaya group)

Abstract:

A wide range of human cognitive functions appear to be highly relevant to structural properties of large-scale brain networks. However, biological mechanisms linking the functions with the network structures have not been entirely clarified. Here, I will talk about examples in which hypothetical/empirical neural dynamics on brain networks can fill such a function-structure gap. In particular, I will introduce a recent study showing importance of development of a certain graph theoretical structure—rich club organisation—during human adolescence, and explain why the network topology is functionally critical for dynamic neural synchrony in the large-scale brain network. Moreover, I will also show an association between impairment of such anatomical network architectures and prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, and discuss a possibility that the association can be accounted for by network dynamics in empirically-defined energy landscape in human brain.