Neural Evolution/Brain growth

[IanC]

Hey neural people!

I've started to get interested in how the brain actually develops, and was looking for some decent links about it, or any good papers, or if anyone would like to describe it a bit I'd be really grateful.

I've heard it described as an evolutionary process, kind of where paths of neurons kind of grow, ones with stronger 'signals' being passed along tend to be favoured. I'm not too familiar with it, as you can probably tell, I'm going from things I've vaguely remembered from the ramblings of my computer vision lecturer about the structure of the vision systems.

In particular I'm interested in simulating it (or at least having a bloody good go), has anyone heard of studies about simulation of the process?

I've tried googling and citeseer-ing but I'm not too sure what to search for, and keep finding either really low level stuff or articles about the evolution of mammal brains.

(god damn I really shouldn't be asking just before my exams, but hey...)

thanks,
Ian

[I. C. Unicorns]

check out this: Adaptive resonance theory

[xunzian]

www.pubmed.com

That should get you all the papers you need. Many of them are free, some of them require a free registration, and some do require a real subscription. If you have access to an academic institution (some public libraries, any University), then even those should be available.

[IanC]

Wow, quick replies, cheers!

I.C.Unicorns, thanks, that's a really interesting read.

Xunixan, thanks, but the problem is more I don't know what to search for. My searches are rather limited to "brain growth" "neural evolution" and the like. As with google + citeseer, I get mainly articles on things that affect the size of the brain and things about long term evolution.

Maybe I need to start simpler, but I can usually work my way backwards quite easily.

Does anyone know the proper technical term for what I want?

[Mizled]

Try searching for neurobiology or research the development of certain parts of the brain such as the neocortex or cerebellum.

EDIT: Interesting read on neuroplasticity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroplasticity).

[IanC]

DEVELOPMENT

I've been trying to think of that word since midnight. That's beer for you...

Thanks, I'll give that a crack. I'll check things to do with vision too, since I know the development of the hypercolumns has a lot to do with the input at an early age (a memorable experiment with kittens and striped walls, cruel, but the textbook diagrams are darkly hilarious).

Emergent intelligence is just fascinating! (shame it's not on my exams :( )

Well, since it's coming up to 4am, I think I'll leave it for a bit. :)

[Mizled]

DEVELOPMENT

I've been trying to think of that word since midnight. That's beer for you...
You're welcome, man. :)

[Don Alhambra]

I'll check things to do with vision too, since I know the development of the hypercolumns has a lot to do with the input at an early age (a memorable experiment with kittens and striped walls, cruel, but the textbook diagrams are darkly hilarious).

I'd be interested in knowing more about this too. I don't know much about brain development, and I'm particularly interested in the development of the early visual system as regards solving a niggling philosophical problem.

Also, we should meet for a beer. :)

[IanC]

Indeed we should :). Sorry I still haven't got that stuff for you!

If you're free any time soon, give me a shout/pm, I've exams in a couple of weeks but I've got fuck all until then.

[FuBgMD]

Look up axon targeting. Cool story.

[IanC]

Thanks, just started to look at that. It's amazing how this stuff works, you have loads of individual cells that all follow the same rules really, and you get a brain.

Ian