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Computational approaches to brain function

Nature Neuroscience volume 3, page 1160 (2000)Cite this article

When Watson and Crick proposed their model for the double helical structure of DNA, they ended with the famous words, “It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.” Unfortunately, life is not always so simple, and in particular, the structure of the brain—with its 1010 neurons and 1014 synapses—seems unlikely to suggest the mechanism by which it gives rise to behavior. Clearly, some kind of theory is needed if the brain is ever to be understood.

Although most neuroscientists would accept this position, at least in principle, many experimentalists remain very skeptical of modeling studies. There are several reasons for this. Some people believe that understanding will emerge spontaneously in a 'bottom-up' fashion once sufficient data are available. Others feel that we do not yet know enough to build biologically realistic models, and that models that are unconstrained by data have no explanatory power. Finally, many experimentalists simply find theoretical models too abstract and arcane to be useful tools for thinking about their next experiment.

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Authors
  1. Charles Jennings Ph.D.
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  2. Sandra Aamodt Ph.D.
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Jennings, C., Aamodt , S. Computational approaches to brain function. Nat Neurosci 3 (Suppl 11), 1160 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/81417

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