In this episode, I talk with Stephen Coombes, Ph.D. about neural field theory, or the theory of brainwaves. Dr. Coombes is Professor of Applied Mathematics in the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Nottingham. We explore the foundations of neural field theory, how it models large-scale brain activity, and its relevance to understanding states of consciousness, visual hallucinations, and working memory. Dr. Coombes shares insights from his journey from theoretical physics to neuroscience, and we discuss the future directions and challenges in this fascinating field of study.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction to Neural Field Theory
(02:05) - Dr. Stephen Coombes’ Journey to Neuroscience
(10:06) - What is Neural Field Theory?
(16:22) - Why Model Average Firing Rates?
(24:00) - History and Evolution of Neural Field Theory
(32:12) - Mean Field Models vs. Neural Mass Models
(36:16) - Patterns in Neural Field Theory: Waves, Bumps, and Turing Patterns
(44:54) - Neural Field Theory as a Space-Time Model
(45:54) - Neural Field Theory and Visual Hallucinations
(50:06) - Working Memory and Neural Field Theory
(53:18) - Advances in Neural Field Theory
(59:53) - Recent Challenges and New Directions
(1:06:16) - The Future of Neural Field Theory
(1:09:34) - White Matter Plasticity and Its Role in Neuroscience
(1:12:28) - Closing Remarks and Resources