Noted Neuroscientist Larry F. Abbott to Speak on Controlling the Dynamic Networks of the Brain

Newswise — Can a state of chaos actually be a good thing for the human mind? Find out on Monday, March 2 at 4:30 pm when the Swartz Foundation Mind/Brain Lecture series presents guest lecturer, Professor Larry F. Abbott at the Staller Center for the Arts Main Stage, Stony Brook University. Dr. Abbott, a theoretical neuroscience professor at Columbia University will discuss exploration into the far reaches of the human mind during his lecture entitled, "Sense From Chaos: Controlling the Dynamic Networks Of The Brain." The lecture is free and open to the public.

Lecture Description:Activity recorded from the neurons in the brain often looks random and chaotic. How do we make sense of the world and produce precisely controlled responses when so much of the activity in our brains is chaotic? Professor Larry Abbott will show how brain circuits can switch between chaotic and well-controlled patterns of activity, illustrating these points with computer demonstrations of network models. He will also discuss how chaos may be essential for a healthy brain and demonstrate what goes wrong when activity is insufficiently chaotic.

The Swartz Foundation sponsors the mind/brain lecture series in cooperation with the University. For more information about the foundation, please visit www.theswartzfoundation.org.