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ESI Special Topics, September 2006
Citing URL: http://www.esi-topics.com/fmf/2006/september06-LuisFLago-Fernandez.html

From •>>September 2006 [late entry]

Luis F. Lago-Fernández answers a few questions about this month's fast moving front in the field of Physics. 

Field: Physics
 Article: Fast response and temporal coherent oscillations in small-world networks
Authors: Lago-Fernandez, LF;Huerta, R;Corbacho, F;Siguenza, JA
Journal: PHYS REV LETT, 84 (12): 2758-2761 MAR 20 2000
Addresses:
Univ Autonoma Madrid, ETS Ingn Informat, Grp Neurocompuatac Biol, GNB, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Univ Autonoma Madrid, ETS Ingn Informat, Grp Neurocompuatac Biol, GNB, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Univ Calif San Diego, Inst Nonlinear Sci, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA.


   Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

It was the first paper to show the strong impact of network structure in the dynamics of neural systems.

   Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of knowledge?

It is the synthesis of knowledge in the areas of synchronization, small-world networks, and models of realistic neurons.

   Could you summarize the significance of your paper in layman’s terms?

Synchronization in neural assemblies is widely observed in the brain and it is believed to be a critical component of cognitive processes. This paper shows that small-world networks of neurons are able to get quickly synchronized in the presence of external stimuli. In simple terms, a sparse random connection to distant neurons leads to fast synchronization.

   How did you become involved in this research, and were there obstacles along the way?

I read the paper by Duncan J. Watts and Steven H. Strogatz—"Collective dynamics of small-world networks" Nature 393:440-442, June 1998—and I decided to use their ideas in my Ph.D. research on synchronization in neural assemblies.End

Luis F. Lago-Fernández, PhD
Computer Engineering Dept.
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Madrid, Spain

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ESI Special Topics, September 2006
Citing URL: http://www.esi-topics.com/fmf/2006/september06-LuisFLago-Fernandez.html
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