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The overlaid network illustrates a mathematical model, which represents the astrocyte as a network of processes that enables multi-synaptic communication and supports associative memory function. Data credit: Leyka Nagendren, Cagla Eroglu. Artist Credit: Annette Hui, IBM Research

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The raw image was captured in October 2023 using an Olympus FV 3000 confocal microscope with a 60x objective lens and a z-step size of 0.5 μm across a 50–60 μm z-stack for high magnification and resolution.

A custom Imaris extension, 3D Sholl Analysis, was used to quantify the number of process intersections at 5 μm intervals from the cell soma, marked by the sphere, thereby visualizing the highly complex network of processes of the astrocyte.

The image summarizes the main message of our paper: astrocyte = network of processes that engage in information exchange and computation. The image shows a 3D reconstruction of an astrocyte from the visual cortex using Imaris Bitplane 9.9.

Key takeaways: 🔷 Astrocytes compute. 🔷 Dense Associative Memories can be built using astrocytes. 🔷 From the computational perspective astrocyte is a network of processes. 🔷 Memories can be stored, at least partially, in the biochemical machinery inside the astrocyte, as opposed to just synapses.

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Leo Kozachkov @leokoz8.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

I am very excited about our new paper just published in PNAS. www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1... It was a pleasure to work on this idea together with @leokoz8.bsky.social and Jean-Jacques Slotine.

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Reposted by Dmitry Krotov

Big week for astrocyte research: 3 new Science papers link astrocytes to behavior. We're excited to add to the momentum with our new PNAS paper: a theory, grounded in biology, proposing astrocytes as key players in memory storage and recall. w/ JJ Slotine and @krotov.bsky.social (1/6)

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

John Hopfield on pursuing interesting things: “Doesn’t matter what they are - interesting is the important one”. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYgs...

youtube.com

John J. Hopfield, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024: Official interview

YouTube video by Nobel Prize

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

I am heading to #ICLR2025 in Singapore. If you want to chat about associative memories, energy-based models, and related topics let’s connect! The highlight for me this year is the New Frontiers in Associative Memories workshop on Sunday April 27. Here is the schedule ⬇️

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Reposted by Dmitry Krotov

Gaia Tavoni @gaia-tavoni.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

New ms! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... I developed a normative coding theory for feedback-modulated canonical networks, providing a unified view of (1) efficient & predictive coding, (2) computational & algorithmic principles, (3) unimodal & multimodal sensory processing.

biorxiv.org

Convergence of efficient and predictive coding in multimodal sensory processing

The existence of pathways connecting different sensory modalities in the brain challenges the traditional view of sensory systems as operating independently. However, the reasons and mechanisms underl...

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Associative memory is a prominent emerging paradigm in the landscape of mainstream AI and I expect exciting developments in this area in the next few years. Please take a look at the call for papers and submit by the deadline: February 14. It will be interesting! 😀

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Now that ICML papers are submitted and we are in the midst of discussions on whether scaling is enough or new architectural/algorithmic ideas are needed, what can be a better time to submit your best work to our workshop on New Frontiers in Associative Memory @iclr-conf.bsky.social?

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Reposted by Dmitry Krotov

Kyle Cranmer @kylecranmer.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I am very honored to return to my alma mater to give a distinguished lecture on AI for Science at Rice University's Ken Kennedy Institute. events.rice.edu/event/spring...

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I am excited to announce the call for papers for the New Frontiers in Associative Memories workshop at ICLR 2025. New architectures and algorithms, memory-augmented LLMs, energy-based models, Hopfield nets, AM and diffusion, and many other topics. Website: nfam.vizhub.ai @iclr-conf.bsky.social

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Wow, what a night! A heartfelt congratulations to my dear friend and collaborator John Hopfield and all the 2024 Laureates. #NobelPrize

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

What a wonderful day of Nobel lectures and inspiring conversations at the beautiful Aula Magna, Stockholm University! #NobelPrize

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Dmitry Krotov @krotov.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Physics is a point of view. Wise words from John Hopfield’s Nobel lecture. #NobelPrize

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Please check out the post in the first quote and join us at the Scientific Methods for Understanding Deep Learning workshop at #NeurIPS2024 on December 15 to learn more.

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We demonstrate empirically that spurious states exist in conventional DMs. Their existence is a distinct prediction of DenseAM theory, yet these states have been overlooked in the DM literature. Spurious states mark the onset of the memorization-generalization transition in DMs.

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In our latest work, we leverage the correspondence between DenseAMs and Diffusion Models (DMs) to make a theoretical prediction: a similar phenomenon must occur during the memorization-to-generalization transition in DMs.

DenseAM theory predicts a distinct phenomenon when the amount of data surpasses the critical memory capacity: spurious states emerge. Spurious states are local minima of the energy function that fail to store each pattern in a unique basin of attraction (two or more patterns sharing the same basin).