Laboratory for Integrated Theoretical Neuroscience

We build mathematical and computational models of neural processes to understand brain functions. We are particularly interested in the neural mechanisms used for decision making and reward-related behavior, including social intelligence and motivation. In relation to this main subject, we investigate the coding capability of neural popurationsand neural circuits at the interface between systems and cellular neuroscience. We also emphasize close collaboration with experimental studies.

Research Subjects

• Neural mechanisms and computations of decision making; motivated/social behaviors, adaptive learning
• Computational and mathematical foundations of neural populations and neural circuits

Publications

1. Suzuki S, Harasawa N, Ueno K, Gardner JL, Ichinohe N, Haruno M, Cheng K, Nakahara H.:
   "Learning to simulate others' decisions."
   Neuron. 74, 6, 1125-1137 (2012)
2. Yu S., Yang H., Nakahara H., Santos GS., Nikolić D., Plenz D.:
   "Higher-Order Interactions Characterized in Cortical Activity."
   The Journal of Neuroscience. 31, 48, 17514-17526 (2011)
3. Bromberg-Martin ES., Matsumoto M., Nakahara H., Hikosaka O.:
   "Multiple timescales of memory in lateral habenula and dopamine neurons."
   Neuron. 67, 3, 499-510 (2010)
4. Nakahara H., Kaveri S.:
   "Internal-Time Temporal Difference Model for Neural Value-based Decision Making."
   Neural Computation. 22, 12, 3062-3106 (2010)
5. Santos GS., Gireesh ED., Plenz D., Nakahara H.:
   "Hierarchical interaction structre of neural activities in cortical slice cultures."
   The Journal of Neuroscience. 30, 26, 8720-8733 (2010)
6. Hikosaka O., Nakamura K., Nakahara H.:
   "Basal ganglia orient eyes to reward."
   Journal of Neurophysiology. 95, 2, 567-584 (2006)
7. Nakahara H., Amari S., Richmond BJ.:
   "A comparison of descriptive models of a single spike train by information-geometric measure."
   Neural Computation. 18, 3, 545-568 (2006)
8. Nakahara, H., Itoh, H., Kawagoe, R., Takikawa, Y., Hikosaka, O.:
   "Dopamine neurons can represent context-dependent prediction error."
   Neuron. 41, 2, 269-280 (2004)
9. Nakahara, H., Amari, S.:
   "Information geometric measure for neural spikes."
   Neural Computation. 14, 10, 2269-2316 (2002)
10. Nakahara, H., Doya, K., Hikosaka, O.:
    "Parallel cortico-basal ganglia mechanisms for acquisition and execution of visuomotor sequences: A computational approach."
    Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 13, 5, 626-647 (2001)