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Anthony C. Vernon

2 papers in the library · 80 citations · publishing 2015-2024

Papers

The brain's code and its canonical computational motifs. From sensory cortex to the default mode network: A multi-scale model of brain function in health and disease

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 5, 2015 Federico Turkheimer, Robert Leech, Paul Expert et al. 64 citations

The brain appears to use repeated computational building blocks—canonical computational motifs—that are similar across species, brain areas, and sensory modalities. These motifs, grounded in stereotyped neuronal circuits and inhibitory interneurons, operate at micro-, meso-, and macro-scales to form a multiplexing information system capable of encoding and transmitting increasingly complex information. Similar activation patterns are observed in primary sensory cortices via electrophysiology and in large-scale networks measured with fMRI. The authors apply this canonical model to unify evidence on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and suggest it may extend to other brain disorders involving GABA interneuron dysfunction.

Psilocybin for dementia prevention? The potential role of psilocybin to alter mechanisms associated with major depression and neurodegenerative diseases

Pharmacology & Therapeutics April 6, 2024 Zarah R. Haniff, Mariia Bocharova, Tim Mantingh et al. 16 citations

Major depression increases the risk of later dementia, and late-life depression may be an early sign of dementia. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), the lifelong birth of new neurons in the dentate gyrus, supports learning, memory, and mood. Microglia, the brain's immune cells, regulate AHN, and disruptions in AHN and microgliosis are linked to both depression and neurodegenerative diseases. Psychedelics like psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist with rapid antidepressant effects, may promote neuroplasticity and modulate microglial function. This narrative review examines evidence that psilocybin could affect AHN and microglia, potentially altering the progression from major depression to dementia in at-risk individuals.