iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

If you're collecting cool data and think this approach could be helpful to you or interested in the work, please reach out! The code is all on GitHub. github.com/Bmunn/ICG And, importantly, thank you to all the labs doing open science, permitting some Aussie scientists to test our crazy theories!

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Summary: We found a conserved multiscale organisation trades-off efficient and resilient information processing regimes (spanning 1 billion years of phylogenetic diversity) and behaviourally functional neuronal reconfigurations, that are linked to the underlying structure.

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Finally, we showed how iterative coarse-graining (ICG) can identify informative neuronal reconfigurations related to task dynamics in the zebrafish. I bet this approach will be helpful for future behavioural studies!

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These task induced zebrafish reconfigurations are most flexible and informative at the mesoscale (thousands of cells). Interestingly, mice showed two distinct peaks of reconfiguration at the micro- and mesoscales, supporting the theory of multiple scale-dependent information processing streams.

Not done there, we explored beyond rest into behaviour and found conserved static scaling but evidence of a privileged temporal scale in zebrafish aligned with the stimuli. That is, a multiscale organisation permits flexibility to adapt to behaviourally relevant timescales.

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The few multiscale networks that recapitulated the diverging info theory regimes/nonGaussianity also revealed more beneficial features such as maximising dynamic range and communicability.

Contrasting MANY network null models, we found that only hierarchical modular networks could controllably change the slope and reproduce the empirical static and dynamic scaling Though geometric networks worked well up to a scale dependence. See some related recent Aussie work by Pang et al 2023

We wanted to understand the origin of this scaling. The C. elegans recordings contained tagged cells and a known anatomical connectivity, which let us show cross-scale functional pairings were far more likely if the cells had a physical connection. That is multiscale structure and function!

This multiscale organisation also provides a functional dial to operate across varying timescales! Again, with a conserved slope (despite the noisier measure), from sparse and fast activity at the cellular scale to more continuous fluctuations at the macroscale.

How could this pluralistic information capacity emerge? We found evidence for a precise self-similar coordination consistent across species (invertebrates, fish, mammals) and balanced between two extremes (identical/independent). This was unique against various nulls!

We discovered a divergence in redundant information capacity at coarser scales. This shows that the cellular scale is optimised for efficiency, while coarser ensembles support resiliency. This mirrored a shift from heavy-tailed to Gaussian correlation distributions.

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We opted for a Kadanoff iterative coarse-graining approach among the growing multiscale techniques. This was dyadic (maximal log spread), comparable to standard analyses (correlations), and fast. Letting me track activity across scales Crazily, I applied this to as many species as possible!

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Mac, being the fantastic boss he is, let me pursue an initially very 'physicsy' project and listened to my unhinged arguments about how straight lines on logarithmic axes, particularly their subtle changes can have significant functional implications for this question.

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Inspired by multiscale analyses, I wanted to understand how both a macroscale/systems framework arguing for a resilient “population code” and a cellular/microscale perspective favouring a minimal redundant/efficient neuronal code can both simultaneously be consistent in neural data.

When I began working with Mac, we had “strong discussions” about how the brain coordinates activity to process information. Our different perspectives and starting points of macroscale vs. microscale, led to assumptions and predictions that didn’t always align.

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This combines all the science I love physics, info theory, modelling, and multiple species to understand what makes the brain so special! It’s been cooking for the past four years, and only possible with the dream team @macshine.bsky.social @drbreaky.bsky.social and co!

a close up of a man 's face with the words houston we have a dream team on it

ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words houston we have a dream team on it