Systems Neuroscience

The brain is more than a mere collection of its constituent parts. In this class we aim to understand how neurons interact together in local circuits and distributed brain dynamics to perform behaviorally relevant functions. The class will be organized into modules, which are selected to cover most of the major divisions of the brain. For most modules, we will first discuss a simpler circuit/system for which detailed mechanistic models and concrete ideas about function are known. Then, we will go on to discuss more complex systems, which are related to the simpler system.