Adaptive sparse coding based on memristive neural network with applications Abstract Memristor is a nanoscale circuit element with nonvolatile, binary, multilevel and analog states. Its conductance (resistance) plasticity is similar to biological synapses. Information sparse coding is considered as the key mechanism of biological neural systems to process mass complex perception data, which is applied in the fields of signal processing, computer vision and so on. This paper proposes a soft-threshold adaptive sparse coding algorithm named MMN-SLCA based on the memristor, neural network and sparse coding theory. Specifically, the memristor crossbar array is used to realize the dictionary set. And by leveraging its unique vector–matrix operation advantages and biological synaptic characteristic, two key compositions of the sparse coding, namely, pattern matching and lateral neuronal inhibition are realized conveniently and efficiently. Besides, threshold variability further enhances the adaptive ability of the intelligent sparse coding. Furthermore, a hardware implementation framework of the sparse coding algorithm is designed to provide feasible solutions for hardware acceleration, real-time processing and embedded applications. Finally, the application of MMN-SLCA in image super-resolution reconstruction is discussed. Experimental simulations and result analysis verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme and show its superior potentials in large-scale low-power intelligent information coding and processing.

The frequent subgraphs of the connectome of the human brain Abstract In mapping the human structural connectome, we are in a very fortunate situation: one can compute and compare graphs, describing the cerebral connections between the very same, anatomically identified small regions of the gray matter among hundreds of human subjects. The comparison of these graphs has led to numerous recent results, as the (1) discovery that women’s connectomes have deeper and richer connectivity-related graph parameters like those of men, or (2) the description of more and less conservatively connected lobes and cerebral regions, and (3) the discovery of the phenomenon of the consensus connectome dynamics. Today one of the greatest challenges of brain science is the description and modeling of the circuitry of the human brain. For this goal, we need to identify sub-circuits that are present in almost all human subjects and those, which are much less frequent: the former sub-circuits most probably have functions with general importance, the latter sub-circuits are probably related to the individual variability of the brain structure and function. The present contribution describes the frequent connected subgraphs of at most six edges in the human brain. We analyze these frequent graphs and also examine sex differences in these graphs: we demonstrate numerous connected subgraphs that are more frequent in female or male connectomes. While there is no difference in the number of k edge connected subgraphs in males or females for \({\text{k}} = 1\) , and for \({\text{k}} = 2\) males have slightly more frequent subgraphs, for \({\text{k}} = 6\) there is a very strong advantage in the case of female braingraphs. Our data source is the public release of the Human Connectome Project, and we are applying the data of 426 human subjects in this study.

Scale-free behaviour and metastable brain-state switching driven by human cognition, an empirical approach Abstract We developed a framework to study brain dynamics under cognition. In particular, we investigated the spatiotemporal properties of brain state switches under cognition. The lack of electroencephalography stationarity is exploited as one of the signatures of the metastability of brain states. We correlated power law exponents in the variables that we proposed to describe brain states, and dynamical properties of non-stationarities with cognitive conditions. This framework was successfully tested with three different datasets: a working memory dataset, an Alzheimer disease dataset, and an emotions dataset. We discuss the temporal organization of switches between states, providing evidence suggesting the need to reconsider the piecewise model, in which switches appear at discrete times. Instead, we propose a more dynamically rich view, in which besides the seemingly discrete switches, switches between neighbouring states occur all the time. These micro switches are not (physical) noise, as their properties are also affected by cognition.

Synchronization control of quaternion-valued memristive neural networks with and without event-triggered scheme Abstract In this paper, the real-valued memristive neural networks (MNNs) are extended to quaternion field, a new class of neural networks named quaternion-valued memristive neural networks (QVMNNs) is then established. The problem of master-slave synchronization of this type of networks is investigated in this paper. Two types of controllers are designed: the traditional feedback controller and the event-triggered controller. Corresponding synchronization criteria are then derived based on Lyapunov method. Moreover, it is demonstrated that Zeno behavior can be avoided in case of the event-triggered strategy proposed in this work. Finally, corresponding simulation examples are proposed to demonstrate the correctness of the proposed results derived in this work.

The individuality index: a measure to quantify the degree of inter-individual, spatial variability in intra-cerebral brain electric and metabolic activity Abstract Contemporary neuroscience research primarily focuses on the identification of brain activation patterns commonly deviant across participant groups or experimental conditions. This approach inherently underestimates potentially meaningful intra- and inter-individual variability present in brain physiological measures. We propose a parameter referred to as ‘individuality index (II)’ that takes individual variability into account. It quantifies the degree of individual variance of brain activation patterns for different brain regions and participants. IIs can be computed based on intra-cerebral source strength values such as the ones derived from the exact low resolution electromagnetic tomography source localization software. We exemplary estimated IIs for simulated datasets. Our results illustrate how IIs are affected by different spatial activation patterns across participants and quantify their distributional properties. They suggest that the proposed indices can meaningfully quantify inter- and intra-individuality of brain activation patterns. Their application to realistic datasets will allow the identification of (1) those brain regions that show particularly heterogeneous activation patterns, the contribution of which is particularly likely to be underestimated by conventional group statistics, (2) those brain regions that can alternatively be recruited by different participants for the same tasks, and (3) their associations with potentially decisive behavioral variables such as individually applied mental strategy.

Prediction of epilepsy seizure from multi-channel electroencephalogram by effective connectivity analysis using Granger causality and directed transfer function methods Abstract Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, which causes strange perceptions, muscle spasms, sometimes seizures, and loss of awareness, associated with abnormal neuronal activity in the brain. The goal of this study is to investigate how effective connectivity (EC) changes effect on unexpected seizures prediction, as this will authorize the patients to play it safe and avoid risk. We approve the hypothesis that EC variables near seizure change significantly so seizure can be predicted in accordance with this variation. We introduce two time-variant coefficients based on standard deviation of EC on Freiburg EEG dataset by using directed transfer function and Granger causality methods and compare index changes over the course of time in five different frequency bands. Comparison of the multivariate and bivariate analysis of factors is implemented in this investigation. The performance based on the suggested methods shows the seizure occurrence period is approximately 50 min that is expected onset stated in, the maximum value of sensitivity approaching ~ 80%, and 0.33 FP/h is the false prediction rate. The findings revealed that greater accuracy and sensitivity are obtained by the designed system in comparison with the results of other works in the same condition. Even though these results still are not sufficient for clinical applications. Based on the conclusions, it can generally be observed that the greater results by DTF method are in the gamma and beta frequency bands.

Points and lines inside human brains Abstract Starting from the tenets of human imagination, i.e., the concepts of lines, points and infinity, we provide a biological demonstration that the skeptical claim “human beings cannot attain knowledge of the world” holds true. We show that the Euclidean account of the point as “that of which there is no part” is just a conceptual device produced by our brain, untenable in our physical/biological realm: currently used terms like “lines, surfaces and volumes” label non-existent, arbitrary properties. We elucidate the psychological and neuroscientific features hardwired in our brain that lead us humans to think to points and lines as truly occurring in our environment. Therefore, our current scientific descriptions of objects’ shapes, graphs and biological trajectories in phase spaces need to be revisited, leading to a proper portrayal of the real world’s events: miniscule bounded physical surface regions stand for the basic objects in a traversal of spacetime, instead of the usual Euclidean points. Our account makes it possible to erase of a painstaking problem that causes many theories to break down and/or being incapable of describing extreme events: the unwanted occurrence of infinite values in equations. We propose a novel approach, based on point-free geometrical standpoints, that banishes infinitesimals, leads to a tenable physical/biological geometry compatible with human reasoning and provides a region-based topological account of the power laws endowed in nervous activities. We conclude that points, lines, volumes and infinity do not describe the world, rather they are fictions introduced by ancient surveyors of land surfaces.

Model-based robust suppression of epileptic seizures without sensory measurements Abstract Uncontrolled seizures may lead to irreversible damages in the brain and various limitations in the patient’s life. There exist experimental studies to stabilize the patient seizures. However, the experimental setups have many sensory devices to measure the dynamics of the brain cortex. These equipments prevent to produce small portable stabilizers for patients in everyday life. Recently, a comprehensive cortex model is introduced to apply model-based observers and controllers. However, this cortex model can be uncertain and have time-varying parameters. Therefore, in this paper, a robust Takagi–Sugeno (TS) controller and observer are designed to suppress the epileptic seizures without sensory measurements. The unavailable sensory measurements are provided by the designed nonlinear observer. The exponential convergence of the observer and controller is satisfied by the feedback parameter design using linear matrix inequalities. In addition, TS fuzzy observer–controller design has been compared with the conventional PID method in terms of control performance and design problem. The numerical computations show that the epileptic seizures are more effectively suppressed by the TS fuzzy observer-based controller under uncertain membrane potential dynamics.

Bistable perception of ambiguous images: simple Arrhenius model Abstract Watching an ambiguous image leads to the bistability of its perception, that randomly oscillates between two possible interpretations. The relevant evolution of the neuron system is usually described with the equation of its “movement” over the nonuniform energy landscape under the action of the stochastic force, corresponding to noise perturbations. We utilize the alternative (and simpler) approach suggesting that the system is in the quasi-stationary state being described by the Arrhenius equation. The latter, in fact, determines the probability of the dynamical variation of the image being percepted (for example, the left Necker cube \(\leftrightarrow\) the right Necker cube) along one scenario or another. Probabilities of transitions from one perception to another are defined by barriers detaching corresponding wells of the energy landscape, and the relative value of the noise (analog of temperature) influencing this process. The mean noise value could be estimated from experimental data. The model predicts logarithmic dependence of the perception hysteresis width on the period of cyclic sweeping the parameter, controlling the perception (for instance, the contrast of the presented object). It agrees with the experiment and allows to estimate the time interval between two various perceptions.

Frontal–temporal functional connectivity of EEG signal by standardized permutation mutual information during anesthesia Abstract Quantifying brain dynamics during anesthesia is an important challenge for understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms of anesthetic drug effect. Several single channel Electroencephalogram (EEG) indices have been proposed for monitoring anesthetic drug effect. The most commonly used single channel commercial index is the Bispectral index (BIS). However, this monitor has shown some drawbacks. In this study, a nonlinear functional connectivity measure named Standardized Permutation Mutual Information (SPMI) is proposed to describe communication between two-channel EEG signals at frontal and temporal brain regions during a controlled propofol-induced anesthesia and recovery design from eight subjects. The SPMI index has higher correlation with estimated propofol effect-site concentration and has better ability to distinguish three anesthetic states of patient than the other functional connectivity indexes (cross-correlation, coherence, phase analysis) and also the BIS index. Moreover, the SPMI index has a faster reaction to the effect of drug concentration, less variability at the consciousness state and better robustness to noise than BIS.