J. Lauwereyns, Ph.D. Professor Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences Kyushu University Basic neuroscience Introduction

Neural coding and decoding Information e.g., Visual image Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron Information e.g., Machine vision

Neural coding and decoding Information e.g., Visual image Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron Information e.g., Machine vision

Neural coding and decoding Information e.g., Visual image Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron Information e.g., Machine vision Studying the relation between events (stimuli, responses) and brain activity

Neural decoding and decoding Information e.g., Machine vision Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron

Neural decoding and decoding Information e.g., Machine vision Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron Trying to reconstruct events based on the interpretation of brain data

Neural coding and decoding Information e.g., Visual image Brain Activity e.g., Visual neuron Information e.g., Machine vision

Complex data…

Important applications…

Brain All tissues and organs consist of cells In the brain: neurons and glia 100 billion neurons, 1000 billion glia Neurons: –Information, communication, control Glia: (glial or neuroglia) –Insulation, support, nourishment

Brain All tissues and organs consist of cells In the brain: neurons and glia 100 billion neurons, 1000 billion glia Neurons: –Information, communication, control Glia: (glial or neuroglia) –Insulation, support, nourishment

Glial cells The brain contains three major classes of glial cell – -Astrocytes -Oligodendrocytes -microglia

Glial cells The brain contains three major classes of glial cell – -Astrocytes -Oligodendrocytes -microglia

Glial cells The brain contains three major classes of glial cell – -Astrocytes -Oligodendrocytes -microglia

Brain All tissues and organs consist of cells In the brain: neurons and glia 100 billion neurons, 1000 billion glia Neurons: –Information, communication, control Glia: (glial or neuroglia) –Insulation, support, nourishment

Brain All tissues and organs consist of cells In the brain: neurons and glia 100 billion neurons, 1000 billion glia Neurons: –Information, communication, control Glia: (glial or neuroglia) –Insulation, support, nourishment

The neuron doctrine ( We say “Neuroscience,” not “Gliascience”)

The neuron doctrine Golgi stained neuron: Soaking brain tissue in a silver chromate solution, nicely shows cell body (nucleus) vs. thin tubes size…

Ramón y Cajal Using Golgi’s Method: Work out the circuitry of brain regions Golgi was wrong, Ramón y Cajal was right: The brain consists of many separate neurons, communicating by contact, not continuity

Measuring brain activity Blood flow

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI, PET, NIRS

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI, PET, NIRS = Indirect, not neural activity itself, but supply of blood to neurons (via glia)

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI, PET, NIRS Electrical activity EEG

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI, PET, NIRS Electrical activity EEG, MEG, Intracranial, Single cell, Intracellular

Measuring brain activity Blood flow fMRI, PET, NIRS Electrical activity = Can be direct, when you insert the electrode in the brain, or even in the neuron, but is “invasive”

Where does the activity come from? What do neurons do? Need to study the basics…

The Prototypical Neuron Cell body (soma, perikaryon) Axon Dendrites

The neuron

Transport

The neuron Chemical release Transport

The neuron Detection Chemical release Transport

The neuron DNA Detection Chemical release Transport

The neuron DNA Detection Chemical release Transport Insulation Glia In mammals: Axons are myelinated