Brain Inspired

BI 212 John Beggs: Why Brains Seek the Edge of Chaos

19 snips
May 21, 2025
John Beggs, director of the Beggs Lab at Indiana University and author of 'The Cortex and the Critical Point,' dives deep into the fascinating world of brain criticality. He explains how our brains thrive at the edge of chaos, balancing order and disorder for optimal processing. Beggs discusses its implications for understanding consciousness, computational capacity, and even links to neurological disorders like Alzheimer's. He reflects on the evolving nature of scientific debate around criticality, emphasizing its significance in both neuroscience and physics.
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INSIGHT

Balance Point in Neural Activity

  • Criticality balances neuronal activity so signals neither die out nor explode uncontrollably.
  • This balance optimizes information transmission and prevents seizures or loss of signal.
INSIGHT

Why Brains Favor Criticality

  • Brains favor criticality because it optimizes information transmission, computing, and sensory dynamic range.
  • Criticality allows processing inputs differently, leading to better computation and signal handling.
INSIGHT

Measuring Criticality Rigorously

  • Multiple measurements exist for criticality because power laws alone aren’t enough to confirm it.
  • The crackling noise relation provides a more rigorous test linking avalanche exponents to true criticality.
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