The Visions of Shamans and Saints - Dynamic Instabilities in Neuroscience by Bard Ermentrout

Explore the fascinating world of neural patterns in this lecture by Bard Ermentrout from the University of Pittsburgh. Delve into the mechanisms behind spatial and temporal patterns in the nervous system, from locomotion gaits to brain activity. Discover connections between paleolithic cave paintings and spontaneous patterns in the excited brain. Learn about recent experimental findings on the interaction between external stimuli and internally generated neural activity. Gain insights into topics such as synchronicity, phase reset curves, entoptic phenomena, and the origins of visions. Examine the visual system, complex logarithms, and periodic patterns in the brain. Investigate hallucinations, lateral inhibition, and the effects of drugs on neural activity. Understand simulations of neural patterns and their applications to diverse fields, including seashell formation. Suitable for a general audience, this talk offers a captivating journey through neuroscience, art, and natural phenomena.

Intro
Coffee with Curiosity
Stripes and spots
Firefly
Synchronicity
Phase Reset Curve
Randomly Placed Firefly
Entoptic Phenomena
Art in Caves
Origins of Visions
Antarctic Phenomena
Brian Dyson
Oliver Sacks
Heinrich Kleever
The Visual System
The Complex logarithm
Periodic patterns
Recap
The Brain
The Parts of the Brain
Hallucination
Differential Equations
Lateral Inhibition
Drugs
Pressure phosphates
LSD goggles
Resonance
Simulations
Seashells
The Mantle
The Shells
Conclusion
Questions