Scientists Reveal How Brain Networks Keep Time — New Free Tool
This could lead to better treatments for epilepsy and Parkinson's.
This article offers an accessible introduction to the Wilson-Cowan model, a classic neural mass model that describes the activity of large networks of neurons and can produce behaviours ranging from steady rhythms to complex oscillations. It focuses on how time delays—reflecting the time for signals to travel between neurons—affect the model’s behaviour.
The article explores core concepts, surveys existing literature, introduces numerical techniques for analysing delay differential equations, and provides a hands-on tutorial on using DDE-BIFTOOL with the Wilson-Cowan model. Downloadable code lets readers reproduce the results and explore the model’s dynamics further, including MATLAB code for all computations using DDE-BIFTOOL for continuation, and Python versions of simulation codes.
- Brain signals have delays that affect how networks synchronize, which is crucial for understanding disorders like epilepsy.
- The Wilson-Cowan model is a simplified way to study large groups of neurons and how they interact.
- A new free software tool (DDE-BIFTOOL) with downloadable code lets anyone analyze these models, making research more accessible.
Why It Matters
This research could lead to better treatments for brain disorders by revealing how timing affects brain rhythms.