Complex Dynamics in Large-Scale Interacting Brain Systems: Towards Physical Models of Sleep and Consciousness

Seminar: June 08 - 25, 2009 --- Workshop: June 21 - 25, 2009

Scientific coordinators:

Peter Achermann (University Zürich, Switzerland)
Eckehard Olbrich (MPI for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany)
Thomas Wennekers (University of Plymouth, U.K.)

Organisation:

Claudia Poenisch (MPI für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden, Germany)

Objectives

Recent years have seen a tremendous progress in the physically realistic modelling of functional systems of the mammalian brain. For instance, several large research projects have been launched recently on the national and international level in order to explore cortical micro-circuits, their selforganisation, and dynamic principles that govern the role of complex brain states (e.g., FACETS, COLAMN, BlueBrain, Daisy). These and other projects ask for an ever increasing need to develop novel concepts and overarching theories that allow to link the microscopic dynamics of neural circuits with brain functions on the systems level.

Specifically required are new developments in the science of complex systems. Concepts and techniques from statistical physics (e.g., free energy, phase transitions), non-linear dynamics (bifurcations, synchronization) and complex systems theory (dynamics and structure of complex networks, causality concepts) have been important for bridging the gap in the past and will be crucial for future progress, too. However, in order to be successful they need further development to faithfully address both, the heterogeneity on the microscopic level and the functional system-level characteristics. A truly transdisciplinary field of research is thus emerging, which integrates scientists from mathematics, physics, and the life-sciences. A breakthrough in this area of large-scale physical brain modelling would apparently be of great potential for science, technology, and society.

The workshop & seminar we announce here will provide an outstanding opportunity to bring together researchers working in the relevant sub-domains in order to confront theories and concepts with recent experimental results as well as the latest developments in computational modelling and simulation.

Workshop

The workshop will comprise experimenters, modellers/theoreticians, and experts in advanced data analysis, 60-70 persons in total, half of which invited. In addition to invited and contributed talks we will have poster sessions, and plenty of time for discussions.

The workshop specifically aims at debating the state-of-the-art concepts and theories for the physics of large-scale brain activity and its relation to ongoing computational processes in the brain. Out of this broad area, the workshop will focus on sleep, consciousness and memory. It will point out current and future directions of biologically informed model development and large-scale brain simulations. The analysis and interpretation of data from such simulations together with experimental data represents an important challenge and calls for advanced data analysis methods which will also be addressed during the workshop.

A preliminary list of invited speakers follows below.

Maxim Bazhenov, University of California Riverside, USA
Steven Bressler, Florida Atlantic University, USA
Jens Christian Claussen, University Lübeck, Germany
Vincenco Crunelli, Cardiff School of Biosciences, UK
Alain Destexhe, UNIC CNRS, France
Jürgen Fell, University Bonn, Germany
Karl Friston, UCL, UK
Sean Hill, EPFL, Switzerland
Reto Huber, University Children’s Hospital Zürich, Switzerland
Lutz Jäncke, University Zürich, Switzerland
Jürgen Jost, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Germany
Jürgen Kurths, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany
Pierre Maquet, Liège University, Belgium
Marcello Massimini, University of Milan, Italy
Thomas Metzinger*, University Mainz, Germany
Roberto D. Pascual-Marqui, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Zurich, Switzerland
Peter Robinson, University of Sydney, Australia
Anil K. Seth, University of Sussex, UK
John Taylor*, King's College London, UK
Felix Tretter, Psychiatry, München-Haar, Germany
István Ulbert, Department of Comparative Psychophysiology, Budapest, Hungary
Pedro A. Valdes-Sosa, Cuban Neuroscience Center, Cuba
Marcus Wilson, University of Waikato, New Zealand

* to be confirmed

Seminar

The seminar complements the workshop and will provide its attendands with a unique opportunity to work on a scientific idea or problem for some restricted time in an exciting and unperturbed environment with close contact to interdisplinary fellow scientist in the field. It aims at supporting the in-depth discussion of new theoretical or experimental ideas in a cross-disciplinary context, the set-up of new collaborations, or the development of future interdisciplinary research projects on the workshop & seminar topics.

The main aim of the seminar is to provide as much opportunities for putting forward new ideas and collaborations between experimenters, theorists, modellers, and experts in time series analysis as possible. Participants are therefore encouraged to share experimental data, simulation models, theoretical and mathematical modelling results, or data-analysis methods.

The seminar is scheduled for the 8th to 20th of June 2009 at the MPI PKS, which will provide office space for up to about 20 participants as well as accommododation and subsistence in its close-by guest house. Participants of the seminar should also attend the workshop. Participants staying longer than 7 days will have the status of guest scientists of the MPIPKS for the duration of their stay.

Application Procedures

Workshop

Beside invited talks the workshop offers the opportunity for contributed talks and posters. Participants wishing to contribute are asked to submitt an abstract clearly stating the title and content of their presentation, its importance for the workshop, and whether they would prefer a talk or poster. Contributions will be selected on the base of originality, clarity, and relevance, and in such a way that a good balance of talks from the various relevant sub-disciplines is reached.

Seminar

In order to structure the seminar and guide complementary interests we ask applicants for the seminar to provide an informal outline proposal (not more than one page) about the research question(s) they would like to work on and discuss with scientist from other disciplines during the seminar. Participants are encouraged to apply as an interdisciplinary group for a collaborative project. They can as well start new collaborations during the workshop and seminar.

The outline proposal should clearly state the content and nature of the work the applicant(s) plan to do during the seminar, its relevance for the workshop & seminar topic, and its future potential for the field in general. Applicants for the seminar are expected to stay for at least one week.

Acceptance of proposals will be on the base of their originality and interdisciplinarity in light of the general worhshop & seminar theme, their expected immediate benefit for the seminar, and their possible medium and long-term impact on the modeling of large-scale brain systems.

Applications for the seminar and/or workshop have to be submitted via the workshop & seminar webpage until February 28, 2009.

For successful applications, accomodation and subsistence will be covered by MPIPKS. The registration fee is 100 Euro and should be paid by all participants. Limited travel funds may be available, and if so, preferentially for participants from developing countries. Please note that childcare is available upon request.

For further information please e-mail to: codybs09pks.mpg.de