Frances Skinner

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  Building bridges between model and experiment to obtain an essence of theta rhythm generation
  Frances Skinner

  Oscillatory activities are hallmarks of brain output that are linked to normal and pathological functioning. Thus, determining mechanisms for how brain oscillations are generated is essential. However, the multi-scale, nonlinear nature of our brains makes them highly challenging to understand. In particular, theta oscillations (3-12 Hz) were discovered almost 80 years ago and are one of the most robust oscillations in the brain, including the hippocampus where they are associated with exploration. Although several cellular-based network models of varying levels of complexity have been developed, it is still unclear how theta oscillations are generated in the hippocampus. In this talk, I will describe the development of our cellular-based network models where we have taken advantage of an *in vitro* whole hippocampus preparation that spontaneously generates theta rhythms. Using theoretical insights and biological constraints, our developed models can produce theta rhythms, thus suggesting the underlying essence of their generation.