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Description of the project

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most important non-invasive brain imaging tools in neuroscience and in the clinic, but surprisingly little is known about the features of neural circuit activity that give rise to the EEG. The challenge is to explain the functional and anatomical configurations, e.g., the neural interactions among different classes of cells, that produce the diverse spatial, spectral and temporal EEG features linked to cognition and neurological diseases. By means of an interdisciplinary approach, combing advanced theoretical modeling with state-of-the-art multiscale neurophysiology and interventional techniques, we will address the above challenge. We will develop rigorous mathematical tools to disambiguate the EEG and robustly interpret it in terms of specific neural features (e.g., firing rate). Such features are key elements in determining the microcircuit configuration and have been documented to contribute to brain disorders such as schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). First, we will develop neural network models that include the key components of cortical microcircuits. We will then turn these models into accurate EEG analysis tools by fitting them to empirical data to “invert”, or translate back, the EEG into an estimate of the neural parameters. In particular, we are interested in studying the relationship of the EEG with spiking activity and synchrony of excitatory and inhibitory populations. The experiments will record simultaneously EEG and intracortical neural activity in mice, combined with optogenetic tools that can determine the contributions of specific classes of cells and specific patterns of activity in cells to different EEG features. The analysis tools developed in this project will be used to infer neural circuit changes from EEG measures, which will produce substantial progress toward bridging the gap between EEG and neuron dynamics.

Host Institution

The Neural Coding lab of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) is an interdisciplinary lab jointly led by Dr. Panzeri and Dr. Fellin with complementary computational and experimental facilities. The Neural Coding lab is entirely located in Genova and integrates researchers from two different labs: the Optical Approaches to Brain Function lab and the Neural Computation Lab. The labs have expertise in electrophysiology, neuroimaging, neurophotonics, circuit neuroscience, computational neuroscience, statistics and machine learning, among others.

Contribution to the knowledge-based economy and society

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being at all ages is a priority at European and global levels. Some brain disorders, such as ASD or schizophrenia, result, at least in part, from abnormal changes in the functional organization and dynamics of neural circuits. However, we still do not know how to identify these changes of neural dynamics in terms of the EEG signal. The research and skills developed in this project address this challenge by developing rigorous mathematical tools to disambiguate the EEG and understand the origin and consequences of such aberrant circuit functions. After the fellowship, the new knowledge will be valuable for further research opportunities in collaboration with health personnel.

The results coming out of the project can be applied to further research in neuroscience, and also in the clinics. Neuroscience: Our results will greatly advance the use of network models to interpret the EEG. Understanding the microcircuit dynamics underlying the EEG signal will enable researchers to use the EEG to make fundamental discoveries about the neural mechanisms underlying human cognition. Clinical benefit: The EEG has demonstrated to be a biomarker of pathophysiologies and has been used to predict treatment options. Understanding the origins of the EEG may increase the usability of EEG to diagnose brain disorders and predict treatment outcome success, as well as enhancing the implementation of reliable brain-computer interfaces.