NONLINEAR MECHANISMS IN THE BRAIN

Non-linear dynamical models of brain activity can describe the spontan eous emergence of large-scale coherent structures both in a temporal a nd spatial domain. We discuss a number of discrete time dynamical neur on models that illustrate some of the mechanisms involved. Of special interest is the phenomenon of spatio-temporal stochastic resonance in which coherent structures emerge as a result of the interaction of the neuronal system with external noise at a given level punitive data. W e then discuss the general role of stochastic noise in brain dynamics and how similar concepts can be studied in the context of networks of connected brains on the Internet.