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Functional and Structural Organization of Neural Networks: Some experiments, a little theory, and a lot of open questions
J.P. Thivierge
University of Ottawa, Canada
Functional and Structural Organization of Neural Networks: Some experiments, a little theory, and a lot of open questions
Neuronal networks of the cortex and connected structures exhibit a remarkable capacity to reorganize their synaptic interactions as a result of development, injury, and disease. Despite growing work on the organization of macroscopic networks through the use of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques, relatively less is known on the organization of mesoscopic networks on the order of hundreds of thousands of neurons (roughly the size of a single voxel in magnetic resonance imaging). In this talk, I will describe recent work on multielectrode arrays where my collaborators and I record the activity of in vitro neuronal populations in cortex and hippocampus. By simultaneously recording and stimulating cells, we aim to characterize the relationship between 1) synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation and depression) and 2) functional connectivity (pairwise correlations across local networks). We extend our analyses to examine functional connectivity in an in vitro model of stroke where neurons are temporarily deprived of oxygen and glucose. Finally, we consider how computational models, inspired by multielectrode neurophysiology, may help elucidate fundamental questions on the structural and functional organization of neuronal circuits.