Scaffold modelling captures the structure-function-dynamics relationship in brain microcircuits

• Published in: bioRxiv
• Main Authors: Gilbert De Schepper, Robin, Geminiani, Alice, Masoli, Stefano, Rizza, Martina Francesca, Antonietti, Alberto, Casellato, Claudia, D'angelo, Egidio Ugo
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Cerebellum; Cortex (somatosensory); Cortex (temporal); Embedding; Functional anatomy; Information processing; Neural networks; Structure-function relationships
• DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.30.454314

Modelling brain networks with complex configuration and cellular properties requires a set of neuroinformatic tools and an organized staged workflow. We have therefore developed the Brain Scaffold Builder (BSB), a new modeling framework embedding multiple strategies for cell placement and connectivity and a flexible management of cellular and network mechanisms. With BSB, for the first time, the mouse cerebellar cortex was reconstructed and simulated at cellular resolution, using morphologically realistic multi-compartmental single-neuron models. Embedded connection rules allowed BSB to generate the cerebellar connectome, unifying a collection of scattered experimental data into a coherent construct. Naturalistic background and sensory-burst stimulation were used for functional validation against recordings in vivo, monitoring the impact of subcellular mechanisms on signal propagation and spatio-temporal processing and providing a new ground-truth about circuit organization for the prediction of neural dynamics. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Footnotes * https://github.com/dbbs-lab/bsb * https://bsb.readthedocs.io/ * https://dbbs-lab.github.io/deschepper-etal-2021/