2019 Keynote at the Developmental Neural Networks Workshop

The keynote for the 2nd Developmental Neural Networks Workshop will be given jointly by Roman Bauer and Marcus Kaiser.

Connectome Development – From Local Neuronal Links to Global Fibre Tract Brain Networks

Recent experimental advances allow us to study anatomical brain networks. Our work on connectomics over the last 15 years has shown a small-world, modular, and hub architecture of brain networks. Here, we outline potential principles for connectome development. We will describe recent results on how spatial and temporal factors shape connectome development and how they relate to brain function. In particular, surprisingly simple genetic “rules” can generate complex neural structure and function in a self-organising way. Nevertheless, to create a deeper understanding of the relationship between the genotype and phenotype, it is necessary to bridge the gap between different spatial and temporal scales. Along those lines, we present the BioDynaMo software platform, which allows to conduct highly detailed, agent-based simulations of neural tissue development. We argue that longitudinal studies, experimentally derived parameters for connection formation, and biologically realistic computational models are needed to better understand the link between brain network development, network structure, and network function.