Biomedical Computation at Stanford (BCATS)

Invited Abstract “Computing with waves; neurons as resonators” - Sean O’Nuallain and Tom Doris

Neuroscience has witnessed a healthy burgeoning of theory in the period of the last decade, from revivals of Hoffman's geometry of systems model, reformulated to stress the dynamical systems aspect, to a similarly transformed holonomic theory by Grass and his colleagues, to various cortical columnar architectures proposed, inter alia by Anderson and Burnod, to further-fledged speculations featuring nitrous oxide, glial cells, and quantum coherence in microtubules.

In contrast, computational models of the behavior of networks of neurons are still mainly based on an integrate- and-fire model of neural function. We propose a new computational model of the neuron developed with spectral data processing in mind, which emphasizes sub-threshold oscillation of the membrane potential as a fundamental feature on which to build a computational model. This reformulation of the computational neuron results in networks in which features such as resonance, selective communication and sensitivity to inter-spike periods emerge naturally. Furthermore, integrate and fire behavior emerges as a special case of the new model.

Dr. Sean O’Nuallain Biographical Sketch

Sean O’Nuallain holds an M.Sc. in Psychology from University College, Dublin (UCD) Ireland & a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. He holds a visiting scholars' position at Stanford and directs the independent non-profit Nous Research. He is the author of a book on the foundations of Cognitive Science: "The Search for Mind" (Ablex, 1995; 2nd ed Intellect, 2002; Third edition Intellect, 2003) and editor of "Two Sciences of Mind" (Benjamins, 1997); editor of "Spatial Cognition"; co-editor of "Language, Vision, and Music" (Benjamins, 2002) and of "Mind in Interaction" (Benjamins, in preparation). His "Being Human: the Search for Order" (Intellect, 2002) sold out its first print-run immediately; the second edition was launched at Stanford Bookstore on May 19, 2004.