Opinion: Avian brains and a new understanding of vertebrate brain evolution

We believe that names have a powerful influence on the experiments we do and the way in which we think. For this reason, and in the light of new evidence about the function and evolution of the vertebrate brain, an international consortium of neuroscientists has reconsidered the traditional, 100-year-old terminology that is used to describe the avian cerebrum. Our current understanding of the avian brain — in particular the neocortex-like cognitive functions of the avian pallium — requires a new terminology that better reflects these functions and the homologies between avian and mammalian brains

Modeling brain dynamics in brain tumor patients using the virtual brain

Presurgical planning for brain tumor resection aims at delineating eloquent tissue in the vicinity of the lesion to spare during surgery. To this end, noninvasive neuroimaging techniques such as functional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging fiber tracking are currently employed. However, taking into account this information is often still insufficient, as the complex nonlinear dynamics of the brain impede straightforward prediction of functional outcome after surgical intervention. Large-scale brain network modeling carries the potential to bridge this gap by integrating neuroimaging data with biophysically based models to predict collective brain dynamics. As a first step in this direction, an appropriate computational model has to be selected, after which suitable model parameter values have to be determined. To this end, we simulated large-scale brain dynamics in 25 human brain tumor patients and 11 human control participants using The Virtual Brain, an open-source neuroinformatics platform. Local and global model parameters of the Reduced Wong-Wang model were individually optimized and compared between brain tumor patients and control subjects. In addition, the relationship between model parameters and structural network topology and cognitive performance was assessed. Results showed (1) significantly improved prediction accuracy of individual functional connectivity when using individually optimized model parameters; (2) local model parameters that can differentiate between regions directly affected by a tumor, regions distant from a tumor, and regions in a healthy brain; and (3) interesting associations between individually optimized model parameters and structural network topology and cognitive performance

HBP Leaders' Commitment to Equal Opportunities and Inclusiveness

Enhancing equal opportunities for all affiliated personnel, at all career levels and functions, with a specific focus on gender is difficult to achieve complex large-scale science. The Human Brainproject (HBP) encouraged each person with leadership responsibility to sign and actively support the principles set out in the HBP Vision "to Work for and Engage in Activities and Research for Equality in the HBP" and the HBP Mission for Equal Opportunities. Accordingly, the "HBP checklist for Equal Opportunities" offers an opportunity to reflect and take action

The multimedia brain

The Open University is producing an interactive multimedia tutorial on the brain and nervous system on CD-ROM, for use in its Biology: Brain and Behaviour course. Such a tutor could have a wider use in higher education as the subject matter is known to be difficult for students to master. A prototype version has been produced. Consultation is now taking place before work starts on a fully functional version that can be evaluated for educational effectiveness

The Social Brain

Editors\u27 Note: The economists\u27 traditional and convenient concept of human beings as rational actors who pursue self-interest has by now been thoroughly amended, if not debunked. But how the complicating factors, including gender, culture, emotion, and cognitive distortions, actually work in our brains has been elusive until more recently. Lately, however, neuroscience has begun to make inroads toward a better understanding of many of these factors. This chapter describes one large piece of the puzzle: the evolution of human beings\u27 brains as those of a highly interdependent, social species

The Complementary Brain: From Brain Dynamics To Conscious Experiences

How do our brains so effectively achieve adaptive behavior in a changing world? Evidence is reviewed that brains are organized into parallel processing streams with complementary properties. Hierarchical interactions within each stream and parallel interactions between streams create coherent behavioral representations that overcome the complementary deficiencies of each stream and support unitary conscious experiences. This perspective suggests how brain design reflects the organization of the physical world with which brains interact, and suggests an alternative to the computer metaphor suggesting that brains are organized into independent modules. Examples from perception, learning, cognition, and action are described, and theoretical concepts and mechanisms by which complementarity is accomplished are summarized.Defense Advanced Research Projects and the Office of Naval Research (N00014-95-1-0409); National Science Foundation (ITI-97-20333); Office of Naval Research (N00014-95-1-0657