Large Scale Simulations of Information Processing Within the Human Cortex

Explore large-scale simulations of information processing within the human cortex in this 44-minute conference talk by Peter Grindrod from the University of Oxford. Delve into the modeling of the human cortex with 1-10 billion neurons arranged in a directed and highly modular network, representing cortical columns. Discover how these simulations produce distinct, latent internal states that govern responses to stimuli, potentially explaining the nature of human consciousness. Learn about the challenges of simulating such massive neural networks, the methodology for defining and simulating complex systems, and the post-processing techniques used to demonstrate the existence of internal states. Gain insights into why evolution has resulted in the current design of the human brain, and explore the implications for understanding the "hard problem of consciousness" through network science and dynamical systems theory.