Network Neuroscience: A New Paradigm to Understand Brain Structure and Function
Abstract
Linking structure to function is a key challenge in neuroscience – How does a complex web of neurons give rise to dynamics and behavior? Understanding the organization of brain graphs (networks), their community structure and time-varying topology is key to tackling this challenge. Network Neuroscience is an emerging field dedicated to understanding the structure and function of neural systems across scales, from neurons to circuits to the whole brain. In this presentation, I will review current themes and future directions, including structure/function relationships, the use of computational models to map information flow and communication dynamics, and a novel edge-centric approach to functional connectivity. I will argue that network neuroscience represents a promising theoretical framework for understanding the complex structure and functioning of nervous systems.
About the Speaker
Olaf Sporns is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington. His main research area is theoretical and computational neuroscience, with a focus on complex brain networks. In addition to numerous peer-reviewed journal articles he has authored two books, Networks of the Brain and Discovering the Human Connectome.