Human-scale Brain Simulation via Supercomputer: A Case Study on the Cerebellum
Human-scale Brain Simulation via Supercomputer: A Case Study on the Cerebellum
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DOI：
10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.01.014
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发表时间：
2021-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Tadashi Yamazaki;J. Igarashi;H. Yamaura
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Tadashi Yamazaki;J. Igarashi;H. Yamaura
在过去的20年里，超级计算机的性能一直在稳步增长，并有望进一步增长。这种前所未有的计算能力使我们能够构建和模拟由数百亿个神经元和数十万亿个突触组成的大规模神经网络模型，并具有详细的解剖连接和逼真的生理参数。这种“人类规模”的大脑模拟可以被认为是计算神经科学甚至普通神经科学的里程碑。为了实现这一里程碑，必须将现代高性能计算技术引入神经科学研究。在这篇文章中，我们从计算神经科学和现代高性能计算技术的角度为实验和计算神经科学的专家提供了一个关于超级计算机上大规模大脑模拟的介绍性景观。本文介绍了建模和仿真方法，然后回顾了迄今为止进行的各种有代表性的大规模仿真研究。然后，我们将注意力转向小脑，并回顾了针对该区域的更多模拟研究。此外，我们提出了最近在日本旗舰超级计算机K（现已退役）上由860亿个神经元组成的人类规模小脑网络模型的模拟结果。最后，我们讨论了人类规模的大脑模拟的必要性和重要性，并提出了这种大规模的大脑模拟研究的未来方向。
Performance of supercomputers has been steadily and exponentially increasing for the past 20 years, and is expected to increase further. This unprecedented computational power enables us to build and simulate large-scale neural network models composed of tens of billions of neurons and tens of trillions of synapses with detailed anatomical connections and realistic physiological parameters. Such “human-scale” brain simulation could be considered a milestone in computational neuroscience and even in general neuroscience. Towards this milestone, it is mandatory to introduce modern high-performance computing technology into neuroscience research. In this article, we provide an introductory landscape about large-scale brain simulation on supercomputers from the viewpoints of computational neuroscience and modern high-performance computing technology for specialists in experimental as well as computational neurosciences. This introduction to modeling and simulation methods is followed by a review of various representative large-scale simulation studies conducted to date. Then, we direct our attention to the cerebellum, with a review of more simulation studies specific to that region. Furthermore, we present recent simulation results of a human-scale cerebellar network model composed of 86 billion neurons on the Japanese flagship supercomputer K (now retired). Finally, we discuss the necessity and importance of human-scale brain simulation, and suggest future directions of such large-scale brain simulation research.