Computational Neuroscience Commons^™

Ongoing Calculus In The Cerebral Cortex, Luke Long

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Various modes of neuronal computations have long been theorized to be possible based on the structure and geometry of the brain. These computations also seem necessary for many of the integral functions of the brain, like information processing and regulatory processes in the body. However, experimental data directly supporting these claims have been rare.

In this study, data collected in mice from a large number of neurons over a long period of time provided the opportunity to search for some of these computations, specifically change detection and squaring calculations. Using Matlab, the goal of this analysis was to find statistically …

Scale-Free Behavioral Dynamics Directly Linked With Scale-Free Cortical Dynamics, Sabrina Jones

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

In organisms, an interesting phenomenon occurs in both behavior and neuronal activity: organization with fractal, scale-free fluctuations over multiple spatiotemporal orders of magnitude (1,2). In regard to behavior, this sort of complex structure-- which manifests itself from small scale fidgeting to purposeful, full body movements-- may support goals such as foraging (3-6), visual search (4), and decision making (7,8). Likewise, the presence of this sort of structure in the cerebral cortex in the form of spatiotemporal cascades, coined “neuronal avalanches,” may offer optimal information transfer (9). Thus, when considering the functional relationship between the cerebral cortex and movements of the …

Contrastive Learning For Unsupervised Auditory Texture Models, Christina Trexler

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sounds with a high level of stationarity, also known as sound textures, have perceptually relevant features which can be captured by stimulus-computable models. This makes texture-like sounds, such as those made by rain, wind, and fire, an appealing test case for understanding the underlying mechanisms of auditory recognition. Previous auditory texture models typically measured statistics from auditory filter bank representations, and the statistics they used were somewhat ad-hoc, hand-engineered through a process of trial and error. Here, we investigate whether a better auditory texture representation can be obtained via contrastive learning, taking advantage of the stationarity of auditory textures to …

Deep Learning-Based Framework For Autism Functional Mri Image Classification, Xin Yang, Saman Sarraf, Ning Zhang

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The purpose of this paper is to introduce deep learning-based framework LeNet-5 architecture and implement the experiments for functional MRI image classification of Autism spectrum disorder. We implement our experiments under the NVIDIA deep learning GPU Training Systems (DIGITS). By using the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) LeNet-5 architecture, we successfully classified functional MRI image of Autism spectrum disorder from normal controls. The results show that we obtained satisfactory results for both sensitivity and specificity.

Comparing Before-And After-School Neurocognitive Performance In High School Athletes- Implications For Concussion Management, Morgan Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are several factors that influence computerized neurocognitive testing performance however, one factor that has not been examined is the potential deleterious effects of cognitive fatigue from an academic school day combined with time of computerized neurocognitive testing (CNT) administration. The primary purpose of this study was to compare before-and after-school CNT performance and total symptoms in non-concussed high school student athletes. The secondary purpose of this study was to compare before-school and after-school CNT performance and total symptoms and chronotypes in non-concussed student athletes. A crossover design was used to compare before-and after-school CNT performance and total symptoms of …

Examining Fear Of Re-Injury In High School Athletes With Sport-Related Concussion, Melissa Nicole Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent consensus statements have advocated for research on the emotional sequelae that is associated with sport-related concussion (McCrory et al., 2012). However, changes in fear of re-injury throughout SRC recovery are understudied. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to describe fear of re-injury in high school athletes with SRC, and 2) to document changes in fear of re-injury throughout SRC recovery. This study addressed several exploratory questions regarding fear of re-injury in high school athletes with SRC that pertain to identifying predictors of fear of re-injury as well as examining the relationship between fear of re-injury and locus …

Experimental And Computational Studies Of Cortical Neural Network Properties Through Signal Processing, Wesley Patrick Clawson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies, both theoretical and experimental, of network level dynamics in the cerebral cortex show evidence for a statistical phenomenon called criticality; a phenomenon originally studied in the context of phase transitions in physical systems and that is associated with favorable information processing in the context of the brain. The focus of this thesis is to expand upon past results with new experimentation and modeling to show a relationship between criticality and the ability to detect and discriminate sensory input. A line of theoretical work predicts maximal sensory discrimination as a functional benefit of criticality, which can then be characterized …

The Development Of A Traumatic Brain Injury Bioreactor, Zachery Heller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 1.7 million Americans experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. Concussive injuries are a subset of TBI in which blows to the head cause the brain to collide against the interior of the skull. Damage to the neurons, supporting cells, and surrounding extra cellular matrix resulting from these collisions can lead to permanent physical, cognitive, and psychological impairment. We believe the prevalence and clinical significance of concussive injures warrants research investment. To study brain injury following TBI, in vivo models have been the gold standard for TBI experiments. Although a valuable research alternative, animals are expensive, raise ethical …