{"689587":{"#nid":"689587","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Use Statistics and Math to Understand How The Brain Works","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENothing rivals the human brain\u2019s complexity. Its 86 billion neurons and 85 billion other cells make an estimated 100 trillion connections. If the brain were a computer, it would perform an exaflop (a billion-billion) mathematical calculations every second and use the equivalent of only 20 watts of power. As impressive as the brain is, neurologists can\u2019t fully explain how neurons work together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help find answers, researchers at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS) are using math, data, and AI to unlock the secrets of thought. Together they are helping turn the brain\u2019s raw electrical \u201cnoise\u201d into real insights about how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFair warning: Prepare your neurons for the complexity of this brain research ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EBuilding AI like a Brain\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat if artificial neurons in AI programs were arranged as they are in the brain?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI programs would then help us understand why the brain is organized the way it is. This neuro-AI synthesis would also work faster, use less energy, and be easier to interpret. Creating such systems is the goal of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/apurva-ratan-murty\u0022\u003EApurva Ratan Murty\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E who is creating topographic AI models like the one above of three domains \u2014 vision, audition, and language inspired by the brain. In the near future, he predicts doctors might be able to use these patterns to predict the effects of brain lesions and other disorders. \u201cWe\u2019re not there yet,\u201d he says. \u201cBut our work brings us significantly closer to that future than ever before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EComputing Thought \u0026amp; Movement\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow cats walk keeps \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/5354\u0022\u003EChethan Pandarinath\u003C\/a\u003E on his toes. This biomedical engineer uses sensors to analyze how two sets of feline leg muscles \u2014 flexors and extensors \u2014 are controlled by the spinal cord. Understanding how that happens could help patients partially paralyzed from spinal cord injuries, strokes, or progressive neuro-degenerative diseases get back on their feet again. \u201cMy lab is using AI tools that allow us to turn complex spinal cord activity data into something we can interpret. It tells us there\u2019s a simple underlying structure behind the complex activity patterns,\u201d says the associate professor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ERevealing the Brain\u2019s Spike Patterns\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe brain is like a symphony conductor,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3736\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIndividual instruments have some independent control, but most of the music comes from the brain\u2019s precise coordination of notes among the different players in the body.\u201d This \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ephysics\u003C\/a\u003E professor studies the fantastically fast-beating wings of the hummingbird-sized hawk moth (Manduca sexta). Its agile flight movement comes as a result of spikes in electrical activity in 10 muscles. Sponberg found something that surprised him \u2014 the brain focuses less on creating the number of spikes than in orchestrating their precise patterns over time. To Sponberg, every millisecond matters. \u201cWe are just beginning to understand how the nervous system first acquires precisely timed spiking patterns during development,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EPredicting Decisions Through Statistics\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPut a mouse in a maze with food far away, and it will learn to find it. But life for mice \u2014 and people \u2014 isn\u2019t so simple. Sometimes they want to explore, only want water, or just want to go home. What\u2019s more, animals make decisions based on their history, not just on how they feel at the moment. To dig deeper into the decision-making process, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/18557\u0022\u003EAnqi Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, is giving mice more options. By using a new computational framework called SWIRL (Switching Inverse Reinforcement Learning), her findings have outperformed models that fail to take historical behavior into account. \u201cWe\u2019re seeking to understand not only animal behavior but also human behavior to gain insight into the human decision-making process over a long period of time,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EModeling the Mind\u2019s Wiring with Math\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnectivity shapes cognition in the cerebral cortex, a layered structure in the brain. The visual cortex, in particular, processes visual data from the retina relayed through the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) in the thalamus, and directs it to the correct cognitive domain in the brain. How it does this is the mystery that computational neuroscientist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/13005\u0022\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/a\u003E wants to solve. \u201cThe big question I\u2019m interested in is how network connectivity patterns in the architecture of the LGN are related to computations,\u201d says this assistant \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emath\u003C\/a\u003E professor. To find answers, she shows mice repeated image patterns such as flower-cat-dog-house and then disrupts the pattern. The goal? To grasp how the thalamus\u2019s nonlinear dynamical system works. If scientists and doctors better understand how brain regions are wired together, such knowledge could lead to better disease treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story was originally published through the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. Read the original publication \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/news\/2026\/georgia-tech-researchers-use-statistics-and-math-to-understand-how-the-brain-works.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehere\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-04-09 14:51:00","changed_gmt":"2026-04-09 15:19:20","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679908":{"id":"679908","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775747910","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","changed":"1775747910","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","alt":"Digital illustration of a human brain split down the middle: the left side is filled with white mathematical equations, diagrams, and formulas, while the right side is surrounded by colorful, flowing lines and abstract wave patterns against a dark blue background.","file":{"fid":"264129","name":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11158535,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg?itok=smMzQtFc"}},"679903":{"id":"679903","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This image shows a topographic vision model trained to have a brain-like organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746394","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","changed":"1775746394","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","alt":"Three layered, abstract heat\u2011map style grids in shades of blue, red, and beige, stacked to resemble data layers or visualization panels.","file":{"fid":"264124","name":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53268,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg?itok=vNYzcaPf"}},"679904":{"id":"679904","type":"image","title":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how spinal cord activity guides transitions in muscle output for extensor muscles.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746465","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","changed":"1775746465","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","alt":"Two side\u2011by\u2011side scientific diagrams labeled Cat 1 and Cat 2 showing clusters of colored data points and curved gray lines representing muscle\u2011activity patterns during movement. Each diagram includes blue, green, and yellow point clusters and marked \u2018extensor onset\u2019 and \u2018extensor offset\u2019 angles.","file":{"fid":"264125","name":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":67950,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg?itok=RaB1s5Rq"}},"679906":{"id":"679906","type":"image","title":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption: This shows how mice behave differently when they are pursuing different goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746563","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","changed":"1775746563","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","alt":"Three maze-like diagrams labeled \u2018water,\u2019 \u2018home,\u2019 and \u2018explore,\u2019 each showing colored paths representing an animal\u2019s movement through the maze. The paths shift from dark purple at the start to bright yellow at the end, indicating progression over time according to the color scale on the right","file":{"fid":"264127","name":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":103865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg?itok=wezz9ZzE"}},"679905":{"id":"679905","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows the spike patterns of a hawk moth. Motor systems use spike codes to control motor output.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746508","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","changed":"1775746508","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","alt":"Diagram showing a hawk moth in the center surrounded by twelve circular charts. Each chart displays proportional black and blue segments representing spike count and spike timing data for left and right muscle groups. A legend explains the colors, and text below notes that the values show mutual information estimates for 10 muscles across seven moths","file":{"fid":"264126","name":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81244,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg?itok=l_G56joM"}},"679907":{"id":"679907","type":"image","title":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how visual data from the retina is directed to the correct cognitive domain in the brain through a region of the visual cortex.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746605","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","changed":"1775746605","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","alt":"Diagram showing neural connectivity between cortical layers in regions labeled V1 and LM. Arrows connect circular nodes representing layers L2\/3, L4, and L5, with green and orange arrows indicating directional pathways. A magnified inset on the right illustrates a simplified microcircuit with shapes labeled Pyr, Sst, and Vip connected by colored arrows.","file":{"fid":"264128","name":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":51645,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg?itok=MfeiKQbd"}}},"media_ids":["679908","679903","679904","679906","679905","679907"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-uses-computing-and-engineering-methods-shift-neuroscience-paradigms","title":"Georgia Tech Uses Computing and Engineering Methods to Shift Neuroscience Paradigms"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/head-toe-georgia-tech-researchers-treat-entire-human-body-through-neuroscience-research","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/better-brain-machine-interfaces-could-allow-paralyzed-communicate-again","title":"Better Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Allow the Paralyzed to Communicate Again"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E George Spencer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENews and Media Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}