There's a great talk by Juan Gallego on how low-dimensional #NeuralManifolds arise from biological constraints, remain invariant across states and inputs, and support cross-animal alignment. Examples span #HeadDirection rings, #gridcell tori, #MotorCortex prep vs movement, striatal timing dynamics, and C. elegans #behavior loops. Cool talk as it shows how #manifold-level structure can generalize across tasks and organisms.
🧠 New preprint by Tilbury et al: Characterizing #NeuronalPopulation geometry with #AI equation discovery
The approach generates & evaluates 100s of candidate equations, finding "peaky" non-Gaussian tuning functions whose Fourier structure matches power-law dimensionality observed in real #V1 pops. Links shape of single- #neuron tuning to #PopulationLevel geometry using both data fits & analytical derivations.
Hello world! #NeuroAI #compneuro
Hello world! #NeuroAI #compneuro
🧠 New paper by Wimalasena, Pandarinath, AuYong et al: #spinal #interneuron populations form a low-dimensional #manifold that robustly organizes step cycles.
Distinct regions of the manifold mark flexion–extension transitions, and a specific “hold region” tightly controls cycle duration. Deletions emerge as failures to enter the flexor region, giving a dynamical signature of disrupted CPG function.
🌍 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64629-y
#Neuroscience #Locomotion #SpinalCord #PopulationDynamics #CompNeuro
Spinal interneuron population dynamics underlying flexible pattern generation
🧠 New paper by Deistler et al: #JAXLEY: differentiable #simulation for large-scale training of detailed #biophysical #models of #NeuralDynamics.
They present a #differentiable #GPU accelerated #simulator that trains #morphologically detailed biophysical #neuron models with #GradientDescent. JAXLEY fits intracellular #voltage and #calcium data, scales to 1000s of compartments, trains biophys. #RNNs on #WorkingMemory tasks & even solves #MNIST.
Jaxley: differentiable simulation enables large-scale training of detailed biophysical models of neural dynamics
🧠 New paper by Deistler et al: #JAXLEY: differentiable #simulation for large-scale training of detailed #biophysical #models of #NeuralDynamics.
They present a #differentiable #GPU accelerated #simulator that trains #morphologically detailed biophysical #neuron models with #GradientDescent. JAXLEY fits intracellular #voltage and #calcium data, scales to 1000s of compartments, trains biophys. #RNNs on #WorkingMemory tasks & even solves #MNIST.
Jaxley: differentiable simulation enables large-scale training of detailed biophysical models of neural dynamics
🧠 New #preprint by Komi et al. (2025): Neural #manifolds that orchestrate walking and stopping. Using #Neuropixels recordings from the lumbar spinal cord of freely walking rats, they show that #locomotion arises from rotational #PopulationDynamics within a low-dimensional limit-cycle #manifold. When walking stops, the dynamics collapse into a postural manifold of stable fixed points, each encoding a distinct pose.
🧠 New preprint by Codol et al. (2025): Brain-like #NeuralDynamics for #behavioral control develop through #ReinforcementLearning. They show that only #RL, not #SupervisedLearning, yields neural activity geometries & dynamics matching monkey #MotorCortex recordings. RL-trained #RNNs operate at the edge of #chaos, reproduce adaptive reorganization under #visuomotor rotation, and require realistic limb #biomechanics to achieve brain-like control.
🧠 New paper by Clark et al. (2025) shows that the #dimensionality of #PopulationActivity in #RNN can be explained by just two #connectivity parameters: effective #CouplingStrength and effective #rank. Uses networks with rapidly decaying singular value spectra and structured overlaps between left and right singular vectors. Could be useful for interpreting large scale population recordings and connectome data I guess:
🧠 New paper by Aidan J. Horner (2025, Trends in Cognitive Sciences) introduces a 3D neural #StateSpace for #episodic memories. It replaces linear #SystemsConsolidation models with a dynamic framework where #hippocampal, #neocortical, and episodic specificity dimensions evolve independently and non-linearly, allowing memories to shift, reverse, or re-engage hippocampal circuits.
🌍 https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613(25)00284-0
#Neuroscience #CognitiveScience #Hippocampus #CogSci #compneuro #memory
🧠 New paper by Pedamonti et al. (2025, Nature Comm.) shows that the #hippocampus supports multi-task #ReinforcementLearning under partial observability. Mice flexibly inferred hidden task states 🐁, and only models with recurrent memory reproduced behavior, linking #hippocampal dynamics to #POMDP (Partially Observable Multi-Task Reinforcement Learning) inference.
🧠 New preprint by Kim et al. (2025) from David Anderson’s lab: A line #attractor maintains aggressiveness during feeding in “hangry” mice 🍔🐁. Using in vivo #CalciumImaging and #rSLDS modeling, they show how moderate fasting stabilizes an aggression-related attractor in #VMHvl, while prolonged fasting collapses it, linking hunger, motivation, and aggression through #PopulationDynamics:
🌍 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.16.682711
#Neuroscience #CompNeuro #Behavior #AttractorDynamics #Hypothalamus #2p #imaging
For computational neuroscience / statistical physics people in Fedi: I am actively looking for a tenure-track or a junior PI position.
My background is pure statistical physics and complex systems. I mostly do stochastic processes but I'm very familiar with disordered systems too. I'm more interested by the dynamical systems side of things... How structure shapes dynamics, how dynamics are related to computation and processing . I am quite good at writing simulation code.
I also have taught a lot of hours and cosupervised students with good results. If you know about any open position or grant and you're interested in my profile, feel free to contact me!
#getfedihired #compneuro #computationalneuroscience #academicchatter #statphys
Is anarchist science possible?
As an experiment, we got together a large group of computational neuroscientists from around the world to work on a single project without top down direction. Read on to find out what happened.
The project started as a tutorial on a new technique at the @CosyneMeeting 2022. We realised that the technique was easy and cheap for anyone to use with a lot of low hanging fruit.
https://neural-reckoning.github.io/cosyne-tutorial-2022/
At the tutorial we announced a 1-2 year open research project that anyone could join, starting from the materials of the tutorial, and a few starting questions we found interesting, but with no other constraints. We were inspired by the Polymath Project in mathematics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath_Project
31 people contributed to the project, joining for monthly meetings to discuss progress. All code was publicly available throughout, and when we started writing up the work in progress was also fully public. You can see that version here: https://comob-project.github.io/snn-sound-localization/paper
Not everyone who was involved made it to the paper (didn't respond or couldn't find contact details), and not all are on Mastodon, but authors include: @marcusghosh @TomasFiers
@GabrielBena @rory
We used GitHub and Jupyter notebooks to coordinate development, with a website showing everyone's current code and results to make collaboration easier. We used @mystmarkdown and GitHub actions to automate this.
https://comob-project.github.io/snn-sound-localization/
So how did it work out? Well, some things went well and others not so well. We published a paper with our results and reflections on the process. If you're interested in spiking neural networks, sound localisation, or anarchist science, check it out:
https://www.eneuro.org/content/12/7/ENEURO.0383-24.2025
Generally, the infrastructure we built worked well, as did the monthly meetings. Starting from the tutorial was a good decision because it gave everyone a common reference and meant they could easily get started.
However, the lack of direction meant that we didn't achieve very coherent results in the end. We don't think this is a catastrophic problem, but when we try again, this is something we'd like to address. If you have thoughts or would like to be involved, get in touch!
Ultimately, we didn't achieve a scientific breakthrough in this project, but we did show that without top down direction or any specific funding, we could organise a large group of scientists to work together and publish their research in a good journal. We think that's a hopeful sign for the future!
#neuroscience #computationalneuroscience #compneuro #anarchism #science
Is anarchist science possible?
As an experiment, we got together a large group of computational neuroscientists from around the world to work on a single project without top down direction. Read on to find out what happened.
The project started as a tutorial on a new technique at the @CosyneMeeting 2022. We realised that the technique was easy and cheap for anyone to use with a lot of low hanging fruit.
https://neural-reckoning.github.io/cosyne-tutorial-2022/
At the tutorial we announced a 1-2 year open research project that anyone could join, starting from the materials of the tutorial, and a few starting questions we found interesting, but with no other constraints. We were inspired by the Polymath Project in mathematics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath_Project
31 people contributed to the project, joining for monthly meetings to discuss progress. All code was publicly available throughout, and when we started writing up the work in progress was also fully public. You can see that version here: https://comob-project.github.io/snn-sound-localization/paper
Not everyone who was involved made it to the paper (didn't respond or couldn't find contact details), and not all are on Mastodon, but authors include: @marcusghosh @TomasFiers
@GabrielBena @rory
We used GitHub and Jupyter notebooks to coordinate development, with a website showing everyone's current code and results to make collaboration easier. We used @mystmarkdown and GitHub actions to automate this.
https://comob-project.github.io/snn-sound-localization/
So how did it work out? Well, some things went well and others not so well. We published a paper with our results and reflections on the process. If you're interested in spiking neural networks, sound localisation, or anarchist science, check it out:
https://www.eneuro.org/content/12/7/ENEURO.0383-24.2025
Generally, the infrastructure we built worked well, as did the monthly meetings. Starting from the tutorial was a good decision because it gave everyone a common reference and meant they could easily get started.
However, the lack of direction meant that we didn't achieve very coherent results in the end. We don't think this is a catastrophic problem, but when we try again, this is something we'd like to address. If you have thoughts or would like to be involved, get in touch!
Ultimately, we didn't achieve a scientific breakthrough in this project, but we did show that without top down direction or any specific funding, we could organise a large group of scientists to work together and publish their research in a good journal. We think that's a hopeful sign for the future!
#neuroscience #computationalneuroscience #compneuro #anarchism #science
For everyone who can not attend the CCN Conference this year in amsterdam, all keynote lectures can be streamed here:
https://2025.ccneuro.org/keynote-lectures/
Full schedule with livestream links here:
https://2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-events/
First off, Nancy Kanwisher at 11.30 am (CET)
Edit: Not only keynotes but also symposia can be live streamed 🙂
#ccn2025 #neuroscience #cognitivescience #computationalneuroscience#CompNeuro
For everyone who can not attend the CCN Conference this year in amsterdam, all keynote lectures can be streamed here:
https://2025.ccneuro.org/keynote-lectures/
Full schedule with livestream links here:
https://2025.ccneuro.org/schedule-of-events/
First off, Nancy Kanwisher at 11.30 am (CET)
Edit: Not only keynotes but also symposia can be live streamed 🙂
#ccn2025 #neuroscience #cognitivescience #computationalneuroscience#CompNeuro