Computation and Neural Systems

CNS 100. Introduction to Computation and Neural Systems. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term. This course is designed to introduce undergraduate and first-year CNS graduate students to the wide variety of research being undertaken by CNS faculty. Topics from all the CNS research labs are discussed and span the range from biology to engineering. Graded pass/fail. Instructor: Perona.

CNS/Bi/Psy 120. The Neuronal Basis of Consciousness. 9 units (4-0-5); third term. What are the correlates of consciousness in the brain? The course provides a framework for beginning to address this question using a reductionist point of view. It focuses on the neurophysiology of the primate visual system, but also discusses alternative approaches more suitable for work with rodents. Topics to be covered include the anatomy and physiology of the primate’s visual system (striate and extrastriate cortical areas, dorsal/ventral distinction, visual-frontal connections), iconic and working memory, selective visual attention, visual illusions, clinical studies (neglect, blind sight, split-brain, agnosia), direct stimulation of the brain, delay and trace associative conditioning, conscious and unconscious olfactory processing, and philosophical approaches to consciousness. Instructor: Koch. For more information, see http://klab.caltech.edu/cns120.

Psy/CNS 130. Introduction to Human Memory. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Psychology.

CNS/Psy/Bi 131. The Psychology of Learning and Motivation. 9 units (3-0-6); second term. This course will serve as an introduction to basic concepts, findings, and theory from the field of behavioral psychology, covering areas such as principles of classical conditioning, blocking and conditioned inhibition, models of classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, reinforcement schedules, punishment and avoidance learning. The course will track the development of ideas from the beginnings of behavioral psychology in the early 20th century to contemporary learning theory. Instructor: O’Doherty.

Bi/CNS/Psy 133. Neurobiology and Evolution of Emotion: Do Flies Have Feelings? 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Biology.

SS/Psy/Bi/CNS 140. Social Neuroscience. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Social Science.

EE/CNS/CS 148 ab. Selected Topics in Computational Vision. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Electrical Engineering.

Bi/CNS 150. Neurobiology. 10 units (4-0-6). For course description, see Biology.

CS/CNS/EE 156 ab. Learning Systems. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Computer Science.

Bi/CNS 157. Comparative Nervous Systems. 9 units (2-3-4). For course description, see Biology.

Bi/CNS 158. Vertebrate Evolution. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Biology.

Bi/CNS 162. Cellular and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory. 12 units (2-7-3). For course description, see Biology.

CS/CNS 171. Introduction to Computer Graphics Laboratory. 12 units (3-6-3). For course description, see Computer Science.

CNS/Bi 172. Clinical Neuropsychology. 6 units (3-0-3); second term. Prerequisite: Bi 150 or instructor’s permission. Lecture course discussing the relationship between cerebral structures and behavior, in particular with respect to the clinical literature. Cerebral functions are considered in light of acquired behavioral deficits such as aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, callosal syndrome (split-brain), hemineglect, dementia, amnesia, and anosognosia. Not offered 2006–07.

CS/CNS 174. Computer Graphics Projects. 12 units (3-6-3). For course description, see Computer Science.

CNS/Bi 176. Cognition. 12 units (6-0-6); third term. The cornerstone of current progress in understanding the mind, the brain, and the relationship between the two is the study of human and animal cognition. This course will provide an in-depth survey and analysis of behavioral observations, theoretical accounts, computational models, patient data, electrophysiological studies, and brain-imaging results on mental capacities such as attention, memory, emotion, object representation, language, and cognitive development. Not offered 2006–07.

CNS/Bi/BE/Ph 178. Evolution and Biocomplexity. 9 units (3-0-6); first term. Prerequisites: Bi 2, preferably Bi 8, or instructor’s permission; programming skills. An introduction to Darwin’s theory of evolution from a theoretical, experimental, and computational point of view, with special emphasis on the mechanisms responsible for the evolution of complexity from simplicity. Experiments conducted with digital organisms. Topics covered include the principal ideas of Darwinism, measures of complexity, information content of genomes, the “natural” Maxwell Demon, Eigen’s theory of molecular evolution, evolution on neutral networks, “epistasis” and the evolution of recombination, and the evolution of mutation rate. Not offered 2006–07.

CNS 180. Research in Computation and Neural Systems. Units by arrangement with faculty. Offered to precandidacy students.

CNS/EE/BE 182. Introduction to Neuromorphic and Bioinspired Mixed-Signal VLSI. 9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: EE 20 or equivalent. EE 114, CNS 100, CNS/Bi/Ph/CS 187 recommended. This course is a technical introduction to the field of neuromorphic and bioinspired mixed-signal VLSI. Topics include transistor physics and nonidealities (e.g., mismatch), basic neuromorphic circuits and their relationship to neural counterparts; architectures for implementations (e.g., silicon retina), and the role of neurally inspired computational architectures in the context of electrical engineering and computer engineering. Instructors: Delbrück, Liu.

CNS/Bi/EE 186. Vision: From Computational Theory to Neuronal Mechanisms. 12 units (4-4-4); second term. Lecture, laboratory, and discussion course aimed at understanding visual information processing, in both machines and the mammalian visual system. The course will emphasize an interdisciplinary approach aimed at understanding vision at several levels: computational theory, algorithms, psychophysics, and hardware (i.e., neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the mammalian visual system). The course will focus on early vision processes, in particular motion analysis, binocular stereo, brightness, color and texture analysis, visual attention and boundary detection. Students will be required to hand in approximately three homework assignments as well as complete one project (mathematical analysis, computer modeling, or psychophysics). Instructors: Perona, Shimojo, Koch. Given in alternate years; not offered 2006–07.

CNS/Bi/Ph/CS 187. Neural Computation. 9 units (3-0-6); first term. Prerequisite: familiarity with digital circuits, probability theory, linear algebra, and differential equations. Programming will be required. This course investigates computation by neurons. Of primary concern are models of neural computation and their neurological substrate, as well as the physics of collective computation. Thus, neurobiology is used as a motivating factor to introduce the relevant algorithms. Topics include rate-code neural networks, their differential equations, and equivalent circuits; stochastic models and their energy functions; associative memory; supervised and unsupervised learning; development; spike-based computing; single-cell computation; error and noise tolerance. Instructor: Winfree.

CNS/CS/EE 188 a. Computation Theory and Neural Systems. 9 units (3-0-6); second term. Prerequisite: Ma 2. Introduction to computational models and methods that are inspired by, and related to, neural systems. Specific topics include computing elementary and symmetric Boolean functions with neural/linear threshold (LT) circuits and AND, OR, NOT (AON) circuits. Computing arithmetic functions with LT circuits and AON circuits, including COMPARISON, ADDITION, PRODUCT, SORTING, and COUNTING. Algebraic techniques and their applications in the construction of minimal weight linear threshold functions. The class includes a project that focuses on creating an interactive Web-based linear threshold calculator. Instructor: Bruck. Additional information concerning this course can be found at http://paradise.caltech.edu/cns188. Not offered 2006–07.

CNS/CS/EE 188 b. Topics in Computation and Biological Systems. 9 units (3-0-6); third term. Prerequisite: CNS/CS/EE 188 a. Advanced topics related to computational methods in biology. Topics might change from year to year. Examples include spectral analysis techniques and their applications in threshold circuits complexity and in computational learning theory. The role of feedback in computation. The logic of computation in gene regulation networks. The class includes a project that has the goal of learning how to understand, criticize, and present the ideas and results in research papers. Instructor: Bruck. Additional information concerning this course can be found at http://paradise.caltech.edu/cns188. Not offered 2006–07.

CS/CNS/Bi 191 ab. Biomolecular Computation. 9 units (3-0-6) second term; (2-4-3) third term. For course description, see Computer Science.

Bi/CNS 216. Behavior of Mammals. 6 units (2-0-4). For course description, see Biology.

Bi/CNS 217. Central Mechanisms in Perception. 6 units (2-0-4). For course description, see Biology.

CNS/Bi 221. Computational Neuroscience. 9 units (4-0-5); third term. Prerequisite: Bi/CNS 150 or instructor’s permission. Lecture and discussion aimed at understanding computational aspects of information processing within the nervous system. The course will emphasize single neurons and how their biophysical properties relate to neuronal coding, i.e., how information is actually represented in the brain at the level of action potentials. Topics include biophysics of single neurons, signal detection and signal reconstruction, information theory, population coding and temporal coding in sensory systems of invertebrates and in the primate cortex. Students are required to hand in three homework assignments, discuss one set of papers in class, and participate in the debates. Not offered 2006–07.

CNS/Bi 247. Cerebral Cortex. 6 units (2-0-4); second term. Prerequisite: Bi/CNS 150 or equivalent. A general survey of the structure and function of the cerebral cortex. Topics include cortical anatomy, functional localization, and newer computational approaches to understanding cortical processing operations. Motor cortex, sensory cortex (visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex), association cortex, and limbic cortex. Emphasis is on using animal models to understand human cortical function and includes correlations between animal studies and human neuropsychological and functional imaging literature. Instructor: Andersen. Given in alternate years; not offered 2006–07.

Bi/CNS 250 b. Topics in Systems Neuroscience. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Biology.

CNS/SS 251. Human Brain Mapping: Theory and Practice. 9 units (3-1-5); second term. A course in functional brain imaging. An overview of contemporary brain imaging techniques, usefulness of brain imaging compared to other techniques available to the modern neuroscientist. Review of what is known about the physical and biological bases of the signals being measured. Design and implementation of a brain imaging experiment and analysis of data (with a particular emphasis on fMRI). Instructor: O’Doherty.

Psy/SS/CNS 254. Neural Foundations of Preference Formation and Consumer Choice. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Psychology.

SS/Psy/Bi/CNS 255. Topics in Emotion and Social Cognition. 9 units (3-0-6). For course description, see Social Science.

CNS 280. Research in Computation and Neural Systems. Hours and units by arrangement. For graduate students admitted to candidacy in computation and neural systems.

CNS/Bi 286 abc. Special Topics in Computation and Neural Systems. Units to be arranged. First, second, third terms. Students may register with permission of the responsible faculty member.