Building on models—a perspective for computational neuroscience

Cerebral Cortex, vol. 35

Abstract

Neural circuit models are essential for integrating observations of the nervous system into a consistent whole. Public sharing of well-documented codes for such models facilitates further development. Nevertheless, scientific practice in computational neuroscience suffers from replication problems and little re-use of circuit models. One exception is a data-driven model of early sensory cortex by Potjans and Diesmann that has advanced computational neuroscience as a building block for more complex models. As a widely accepted benchmark for correctness and performance, the model has driven the development of CPU-based, GPU-based, and neuromorphic simulators. On the 10th anniversary of the publication of this model, experts convened at the Käte Hamburger Kolleg Cultures of Research at RWTH Aachen University to reflect on the reasons for the model's success, its effect on computational neuroscience and technology development, and the perspectives this offers for the future of computational neuroscience. This report summarizes the observations by the workshop participants.

Authors 16

1. Hans Ekkehard Pleßer Aachen Käte Hamburger Kolleg "Cultures of Research" (Core)

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Norwegian University of Life Sciences · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Data Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences , PO Box 5003, 1432 Ås ,

   Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6), Jülich Research Centre , Wilhelm-Johnen Strasse, 52428 Jülich ,

   Käte Hamburger Kolleg: Cultures of Research (co:/re), RWTH Aachen University , Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen ,

2. Andrew P. Davison

   Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Paris-Saclay · Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay

   Affiliation as printed

   Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay , 151 route de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay ,

3. Markus Diesmann Aachen Department of Physics Faculty 1 Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical Faculty

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, Faculty 1, RWTH Aachen University , Otto-Blumenthal-Straße, 52074 Aachen ,

   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University , Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen ,

   Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6), Jülich Research Centre , Wilhelm-Johnen Strasse, 52428 Jülich ,

   JARA-Institute Brain Structure-Function Relationships (INM-10), Jülich Research Centre , Wilhelm-Johnen Strasse, 52428 Jülich ,

   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Tomoki Fukai

   Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University

   Affiliation as printed

   Neural Coding and Brain Computing Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology , 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495 ,

   Neural Coding and Brain Computing Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan

5. Tobias Gemmeke Aachen Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS), RWTH Aachen University , Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen ,

   Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS), RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany

6. Padraig Gleeson

   University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London , Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT ,

   Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom

7. James C. Knight

   University of Sussex

   Affiliation as printed

   Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex , Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ ,

   Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ, United Kingdom

8. Thomas Nowotny

   University of Sussex

   Affiliation as printed

   Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex , Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ ,

   Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ, United Kingdom

9. Alexandre René Aachen Chair of Computational Network Science Faculty of Computer Science

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Computational Network Science, Faculty of Computer Science, RWTH Aachen University , Ahornstraße 55, 52074 Aachen ,

10. Oliver Rhodes

    University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester , Kilburn Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL ,

11. Antônio C. Roque

    Universidade de São Paulo

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo , Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901 ,

12. Johanna Senk

    University of Sussex · Forschungszentrum Jülich

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6), Jülich Research Centre , Wilhelm-Johnen Strasse, 52428 Jülich ,

    Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex , Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ ,

    Sussex AI, School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Chichester I Building, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QJ, United Kingdom

13. Tilo Schwalger

    Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin · Technische Universität Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Unter den Linden 6 , 10099 Berlin ,

    Institute of Mathematics, Technische Universität Berlin , Straße des 17. Juni 136, 10623 Berlin ,

    Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany

14. Tim Stadtmann Aachen Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS)

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS), RWTH Aachen University , Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen ,

    Chair of Integrated Digital Systems and Circuit Design (IDS), RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany

15. Gianmarco Tiddia

    Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare · Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Cagliari

    Affiliation as printed

    Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Cagliari, Department of Physics, Complesso Universitario di Monserrato , S.P. per Sestu – Km 0,700, 09042 Monserrato (CA) ,

16. Sacha Jennifer van Albada

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · University of Cologne

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6), Jülich Research Centre , Wilhelm-Johnen Strasse, 52428 Jülich ,

    Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne , Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne ,