Metastability, criticality and phase transitions in brain and its models

This essay is designed to organize a range of experimental findings and theoretical insights of the past 25 years into a coherent view of the brain’s style of function. The view that emerges places the brain firmly into the conceptual framework of Nonlinear Dynamics, operating at the brink of criticality which is achieved and maintained by self-organization. Application of the twin concepts of scaling and universality of the theory of non-equilibrium phase transitions will then be introduced as an approach to elucidating the nature of underlying neural processes, notably with reference to the role of reentrant activity in neural circuits of cerebral cortex and subcortical structures.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2007
• Where: BIOSYSTEMS
• Authors: Gerhard Werner
• Keywords: BIOSYSTEMS 2007, Coherent View, Non-equilibrium Phase Transitions, Theoretical Insights