The plasticity of neural codes

关于世界的信息在大脑中通过许多神经元群体的联合活动来表示。然而，这种人口活动编码信息的基本原理在很大程度上是未知的。利用斑马鱼从眼睛到大脑的图谱作为模型，该项目旨在将神经活动的实验测量与数学建模相结合，以发现这些基本原理。特别令人感兴趣的是这些编码原则在发育过程中如何变化，以及它们在视觉地图中断后的可塑性。除了提高我们对大脑如何处理信息的理解外，所获得的知识还有助于优化脑机接口和人工计算设备的设计。

Information about the world is represented in the brain by the combined activity of populations of many neurons. However, the basic principles underlying how such population activity codes information are largely unknown. Using the map from the eye to the brain of the zebrafish as a model, the project aims to combine experimental measurements of neural activity with mathematical modelling in order to discover these basic principles. Of particular interest is how these coding principles change during development and their plasticity after disruptions to the visual map. Besides improving our understanding of how brains process information, the knowledge gained could help optimise the design of brain-computer interfaces and artificial computing devices.