Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Title: (A)Symmetry and Complexity in Neural Systems
Speaker: Luis F Seoane, Institute for Evolutionary Biology (IBE), Spanish National Research Council (UPF-CSIC)
Abstract:
We are bilaterians—our bodies have a left-right mirror symmetry, which is roughly inherited by our brains. This is fitting for some tasks (e.g. motor control), but overkill for others. How does brain symmetry relate to cognitive complexity? A long-held hypothesis tracked back to Broca states that more complex organisms should have more asymmetric brains. We present a theoretical framework to tackle (and prove) this conjecture. Aided by simple mathematical models, we then explore roles of neural (a)symmetry in the brain, and some consequences for long-range plasticity.
Profile:
Luis F Seoane heads the BIT-Lab at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology, of the Spanish National Research Council. His background is in Physics & Computational Neuroscience, with a PhD in Complex Systems. He has works in neurosicence, maths of Darwinian evolution, complex networks, linguistics, or econophysics. He often studies how complexity affect systems (e.g. how it makes them grow, thrive, or fail) and vice versa (e.g. how a system’s size or success might alter its complexity). Personal Homepage: ibe.upf-csic.es/bit-lab
Find out more about the TSVP on the program website: oist.jp/visiting-program
#Symmetry #Complexity #NeuralSystems #BrainSymmetry #CognitiveComplexity #Plasticity #ComplexSystems #OIST #TSVP #Theoretical #Science #VisitingProgram #Okinawa #research
Title: (A)Symmetry and Complexity in Neural Systems
Speaker: Luis F Seoane, Institute for Evolutionary Biology (IBE), Spanish National Research Council (UPF-CSIC)
Abstract:
We are bilaterians—our bodies have a left-right mirror symmetry, which is roughly inherited by our brains. This is fitting for some tasks (e.g. motor control), but overkill for others. How does brain symmetry relate to cognitive complexity? A long-held hypothesis tracked back to Broca states that more complex organisms should have more asymmetric brains. We present a theoretical framework to tackle (and prove) this conjecture. Aided by simple mathematical models, we then explore roles of neural (a)symmetry in the brain, and some consequences for long-range plasticity.
Profile:
Luis F Seoane heads the BIT-Lab at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology, of the Spanish National Research Council. His background is in Physics & Computational Neuroscience, with a PhD in Complex Systems. He has works in neurosicence, maths of Darwinian evolution, complex networks, linguistics, or econophysics. He often studies how complexity affect systems (e.g. how it makes them grow, thrive, or fail) and vice versa (e.g. how a system’s size or success might alter its complexity). Personal Homepage: ibe.upf-csic.es/bit-lab
Find out more about the TSVP on the program website: oist.jp/visiting-program
#Symmetry #Complexity #NeuralSystems #BrainSymmetry #CognitiveComplexity #Plasticity #ComplexSystems #OIST #TSVP #Theoretical #Science #VisitingProgram #Okinawa #research
