1. Neuronal avalanches now have their own chapter in the Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience as distinct dynamics of the brain in addition to waves and oscillations. Plenz D, Shew WL (2018) Neuronal Avalanches, in Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Jaeger D, Jung R, eds. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_743-4 2. We demonstrated for the first time that avalanche dynamics govern brain activity in human infants. This introduces avalanches as the normal brain activity in human infants. The finding paves the way for avalanche dynamics as a potential biomarker for early developmental brain defects. Jannesari M, Saeedi A, Zare M, Ortiz-Mantilla S, Plenz D, Benasich AA (2019) Stability of neuronal avalanches and long-range temporal correlations during the first year of life in human infant. Brain Struct Funct, in press. 3. We demonstrated for the first time that sensory stimulation induces avalanches in the brain. This was done using brief tones to elicited neuronal responses in the auditory cortex of passively listening mice. This work used advanced 2-photon imaging and demonstrates for the first time that layer 4, the first cortical stage of auditory inputs to cortex already translates auditory inputs into avalanches. The finding that both associative cortical layers (layer 2/3) as well as the input layer 4 exhibit avalanche dynamics is in line with prediction from theory, which state that networks optimize their communications when exhibiting avalanches. This work was done in collaboration based on our U01 NS90569-01 BRAIN initiative Grant with Dr. Patrick Kanold. Bowen Z, Winkowski D, Seshadri SR, Plenz D, Kanold P (2019) Neuronal avalanches in input and associative layers of auditory cortex. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, in press. 4. In our ongoing collaboration with Peter Basser (NICHD) we demonstrated that neuronal activity can be measured by assessing the active transmembrane water cyclilng using magnetic resonance (MR) without relying on a BOLD signal. Bai R, Springer CS, Plenz D, Basser PJ (2019). Brain active transmembrane water cycling measured by MR is associated with neuronal activity. Magn Reson Med 81, 1280-1295. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.27473
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