Nicolas Brunel, CRM Scientific Advisory Board member, delivered a seminar on the roles of inhibition in cortical network dynamics as part of the Barccsyn Seminar Cycle. He presented findings on how inhibition stabilizes neural activity and shapes response patterns, focusing on excitatory-inhibitory coupling, the effects of optogenetic stimulation, and the distinct roles of inhibitory neuron subtypes in network stability.
Bellaterra, October 25, 2024 – The Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM) welcomed Dr. Nicolas Brunel, a member of its Scientific Advisory Board, for a seminar as part of the Barccsyn Seminar Cycle. Dr. Brunel, affiliated with Duke University and Università Bocconi, presented his research on “Roles of inhibition in stabilizing and shaping the response of cortical networks.” The talk covered recent developments in understanding how inhibition influences cortical network dynamics, offering a perspective on the mechanisms that contribute to network stability and response modulation.
Dr. Brunel presented research on how light-based stimulation of inhibitory neurons helps stabilize brain activity, even without sensory input, enhancing models of excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) network interactions. He also shared findings on how activating pyramidal cells can alter neural firing patterns without disrupting overall activity levels, pointing to a complex E-I response. Additionally, Dr. Brunel highlighted the specialized roles of inhibitory neuron types, showing that SST cells, in particular, are essential for stability in certain conditions, suggesting these subtypes adapt to different network demands.
The Barccsyn Seminar Cycle, supported by the SGR “Network Dynamics,” brings leading international researchers in computational and systems neuroscience to Barcelona, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas. This initiative not only offers insights into their groundbreaking work but also connects them with the growing Barccsyn community. To deepen these connections, invited speakers are encouraged to visit various labs across the city to build meaningful collaborations and experience Barcelona’s thriving research environment.
Dr. Brunel’s visit to CRM provided an opportunity to meet and engage the Barccsyn and CRM research communities. His involvement continues to strengthen CRM’s connections in the field, advancing shared research goals in understanding brain network dynamics.
Subscribe for more CRM News
Stay updated to our mailing list to get the lastest information about CRM activities.
|
|
CRM CommPau Varela
|
Yves Chevallard (1946–2026)
Yves Chevallard passed away on 16 March 2026. He was 79 years old. Born in Tunis, he trained at the École normale supérieure in Paris, where he earned an agrégation de mathématiques. He went on to become a professor at Aix-Marseille Université, and it was there, over...
The CRM participates in a European project studying decision-making and risk perception in mountain environments
The NeuroMunt project (POCTEFA, coordinated by the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia) studies how people make decisions under risk conditions in mountain environments, bringing together researchers from France and Spain across disciplines ranging from complex...
One Day, One Family, One Place: Poisson Geometry at CRM
On March 23rd, 2026, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica hosted the thematic day “Poisson Geometry and Its Relatives”, a full‑day event that brought together researchers exploring Poisson geometry and several of its neighbouring areas. The programme combined classical...
Life After the PhD: Three Roads Forward
On March 18, the BGSMath held its first session on careers after a PhD in mathematics, bringing together three speakers with different professional trajectories and 46 early-career researchers from nine institutions.On March 18, the Barcelona Graduate School of Math...
CRM participates in the 2026 ERCOM annual meeting in Belgrade
The CRM participated in the 2026 ERCOM annual meeting in Belgrade (20–21 March), represented by Director Carme Cascante, Manager Gemma Martínez, and Scientific Activities Manager Núria Hernández. The programme focused on multidisciplinarity, mathematics and the arts,...
5 Talks, 1 Topic: A Day of Combinatorics
On March 18th, 2026, the 5 Talks in Combinatorics thematic day took place in the Joan Maragall Room at the Faculty of Philology and Communication of the University of Barcelona, in the historic building. The event focused on modern combinatorics and its connections...
Gerd Faltings Awarded the 2026 Abel Prize for Transformative Work in Arithmetic Geometry
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has recognised the German mathematician for solving two of the most enduring open problems in the field.The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters announced today that the 2026 Abel Prize goes to Gerd Faltings, director...
The Centre de Recerca Matemàtica Approves Its Strategic Plan for 2026–2030
The Centre de Recerca Matemàtica has approved its Strategic Plan for 2026 - 2030, setting priorities in research, training, and knowledge transfer. Four flagship initiatives anchor the scientific programme. The Centre de Recerca Matemàtica approved its Strategic Plan...
CRM Awards Its Prize at Exporecerca Jove for the Third Time
For the third year running, CRM visited Exporecerca Jove to award its prize to the student project with the strongest mathematical content. This edition, the jury selected two winners: Xavier Ortiz Quintana, who built a real-time 3D scanner using...
When Symmetry Breaks the Rules: From Askey–Wilson Polynomials to Functions
Researchers Tom Koornwinder (U. Amsterdam) and Marta Mazzocco (ICREA-UPC-CRM) published a paper in Indagationes Mathematicae exploring DAHA symmetries. Their work shows that these symmetries shift Askey–Wilson polynomials into a continuous functional setting,and...
Homotopy Theory Conference Brings Together Diverse Research Perspectives
The Centre de Recerca Matemàtica hosted 75 mathematicians from over 20 countries for the Homotopy Structures in Barcelona conference, held February 9-13, 2026. Fourteen invited speakers presented research spanning rational equivariant cohomology theories, isovariant...
Three ICM speakers headline the first CRM Faculty Colloquium
On 19 February 2026, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica inaugurated its first CRM Faculty Colloquium, a new quarterly event designed to bring together the mathematical community around the research carried out by scientists affiliated with the Centre. The CRM auditorium...