http://ifisc.uib.es - Mallorca - Spain

http://www.gaba-project.eu/

Global Approach to Brain Activity: from cognition to diseaseEC 6thFP, NEST-Pathfinder, contract 043309Initiative: Tackling Complexity in ScienceDuration: January 2007 - December 2009EC Contribution: 1,700,000 €. IFISC Budget: 50.000 €

GABA PARTNERS:1. Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Spain (Coord: J. García-Ojalvo).

2. Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain (J. L. Cantero). 3. CNRS, Paris, France (M. Chávez). 4. MPI for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany (W. Singer & G. Pipa).5. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy (S. Boccaletti).6. Université Joseph Fourier, France (A. Villa).7. Tampereen University, Finland (K. Egiazarian & G. Gómez-Herrero).

Subcontractors:• IFISC, (V. Eguíluz & C. Mirasso).• Universitá di Catania, Italy (V. Latora).• Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain (Y. Moreno). • Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, UK (I. Fischer).• Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel (Itamar Procaccia).

IFISC TEAM:

Miguel Cornelles

Victor Eguiluz

Leonardo Lyra

Claudio Mirasso

Guy Van der Sande

http://ifisc.uib.es

OBJECTIVES

Functional Connectivity: The goal is to identify spatiotemporal patterns of synchronization related to normal behavior during a cognitive task, and determine whether variations in these patterns mediate changes in behaviour.

Abnormal Synchronization: We intend to determine quantitative indices of abnormal, spontaneous brain synchronization patterns in different pathological states involving either an increase of synchrony (epilepsy) or a decrease (Alzheimer’s disease).

Connectivity Topology: Examine the role of the neuronal network topology, both at long and short scales, in the establishment of synchronized activity between the associated neurons of brain structures, specially at long distances.

• Synchronization between brain areas is responsible

for a large part of brain activities

• Normal operation → optimal synchronization level

• Disruption of these states is associated to neurological

disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy

OUR HYPOTHESESOUR HYPOTHESES

http://ifisc.uib.es

Connectivity Dynamics: We investigate how diversity, coupling delays and noise affect collective dynamical properties such as synchronization, clustering, etc.

Signal Integration: We aim to elucidate the principles through which local interactions lead to globally ordered dynamics (at the scale of brain structures).

Generalizability: We show, both experimentally and theoretically, that some of the results obtained in the framework of the present project can be generalized to other types of complex networks. In particular, we concentrate on two very different types of systems: arrays of optical devices and social networks.

IFISC role in GABAIFISC role in GABA

Study long range synchronization between brain areas.

Consider different networks topologies

Study other dynamical systems like semiconductor

lasers or social systems.