How Costly is Your Brain's Activity Pattern?

Explore the network organization of neural systems and the human brain through the lens of network economy in this Oxford Mathematics Public Lecture. Discover how biological neural networks exhibit neither perfect order nor randomness, but rather a heterogeneous organization that both supports and constrains complex activity patterns across spatial scales from single cells to macroscopic brain areas. Learn how the principle of network economy provides valuable insights into neural system function in both healthy and diseased states, offering a unique perspective on neural computation. Gain understanding of the fundamental network architecture of the human brain and its implications for brain function through research presented by renowned neuroscientist Dani Bassett, the J. Peter Skirkanich Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and recipient of the Erdős–Rényi Prize for contributions to brain network understanding.