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SUMMARY:Neural circuit reorganisation and functional resilience - Noor Saj
 id\, Max Planck for Biological Cybernetics
DTSTART:20250211T154500Z
DTEND:20250211T163000Z
UID:TALK228310@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Daniel Kornai
DESCRIPTION:Most patients with functional impairments following brain dama
 ge show some degree of recovery over time—a pattern observed across lang
 uage\, motor\, and visual domains. Yet\, recovery remains highly variable 
 and depends on lesion characteristics. What principles govern this variabi
 lity? In this talk\, I will present a computational approach to understand
 ing how neural circuits reorganise to compensate for damage. Using generat
 ive models that mirror neural architectures\, we can simulate specific les
 ion patterns and predict their functional outcomes. I will focus on speech
  processing\, where our work demonstrates how precision-weighting between 
 primary and alternative neural circuits shapes recovery trajectories\, ena
 bling paradoxical recovery through circuit rebalancing. I will then show h
 ow these insights align with our neuroimaging experiment\, revealing that 
 neural circuits flexibly engage different pathways even for basic cognitiv
 e operations like speech processing. Building on these findings\, I will d
 iscuss our recent efforts to develop domain-general models of perceptual f
 unction. For this\, we have formalised how information can be mapped acros
 s sensory modalities using optimal transport theory. This approach provide
 s a quantitative framework to study cross-modal plasticity and the emergen
 ce of compensatory mechanisms through neural circuit interactions. Ultimat
 ely\, this lays the groundwork for understanding brain-wide damage and fun
 ctional resilience\, and generating testable predictions that can guide fu
 ture neuroimaging studies and therapeutic approaches.
LOCATION:CBL Seminar Room\, Engineering Department\, 4th floor Baker build
 ing
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