Neurotransmitter receptor gradients enable flexible control of cortex-wide network dynamics during cognition

Abstract

Recent advances in neuroanatomy and physiology make it possible to probe whole-brain mechanisms of cognition and behavior. However, as yet, few models in computational neuroscience have tackled the mechanisms underlying highly distributed neural activity during cognitive tasks. In this talk I will describe our anatomy-led approach to developing multiscale connectome-based models of neural dynamics during cognitive tasks and our recent anatomical findings of gradients of neurotransmitter receptors in the cortex. I will highlight our investigations into how inputs from neuromodulatory systems (e.g. dopamine, serotonin) may dynamically alter the connectome, shifting the cortical dynamical landscape, and how this can confer flexibility on distributed cognitive functions such as conscious perception and working memory.