Uploaded November 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Most individual regions of the brain are multi-modal and active across many different cognitive tasks. Moreover, two kinds of developmental plasticity ensure that this architecture is continually being remodeled: Hebbian learning that changes the strength of synaptic connections to tune local function, and a neural "search" or "reuse" process that acts to establish the functional partnerships between regions that will support newly acquired abilities. These facts call for a reconsideration of both the mathematical and conceptual tools we bring to bear in our understanding of the brain. This talk discusses some of these tools and how they can be used to capture the brain's complexity. Moreover, I will offer an analysis of what kind and degree of reproducibility we should expect these tools to reveal. The brain is constantly changing at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The tools I present can be used to capture and quantify these changes.
Michael Anderson, Western University
Rotman 2018 Annual Conference: Understanding Replication Across the Sciences
October 13, 2018
Visit the Rotman website for more information on applications, events, project descriptions, and openings. rotman.uwo.ca
Follow The Rotman Institute on Twitter: twitter.com/rotmanphilo
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Most individual regions of the brain are multi-modal and active across many different cognitive tasks. Moreover, two kinds of developmental plasticity ensure that this architecture is continually being remodeled: Hebbian learning that changes the strength of synaptic connections to tune local function, and a neural "search" or "reuse" process that acts to establish the functional partnerships between regions that will support newly acquired abilities. These facts call for a reconsideration of both the mathematical and conceptual tools we bring to bear in our understanding of the brain. This talk discusses some of these tools and how they can be used to capture the brain's complexity. Moreover, I will offer an analysis of what kind and degree of reproducibility we should expect these tools to reveal. The brain is constantly changing at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The tools I present can be used to capture and quantify these changes.
Michael Anderson, Western University
Rotman 2018 Annual Conference: Understanding Replication Across the Sciences
October 13, 2018
Visit the Rotman website for more information on applications, events, project descriptions, and openings. rotman.uwo.ca
Follow The Rotman Institute on Twitter: twitter.com/rotmanphilo
Like The Rotman Institute on Facebook: facebook.com/rotmanphilosophy
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/rotmanphilosophy
