Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Science. 2021 Sep 3;373(6559):eabg7285. doi: 10.1126/science.abg7285.
Although individual neurons are the basic unit of the nervous system, they process information by working together in neuronal circuits with specific patterns of synaptic connectivity. Here, I review common circuit motifs and architectural plans used in diverse brain regions and animal species. I also consider how these circuit architectures assemble during development and might have evolved. Understanding how specific patterns of synaptic connectivity can implement specific neural computations will help to bridge the huge gap between the biology of the individual neuron and the function of the entire brain, allow us to better understand the neural basis of behavior, and may inspire new advances in artificial intelligence.
虽然单个神经元是神经系统的基本单位，但它们通过具有特定突触连接模式的神经元回路协同工作来处理信息。在这里，我回顾了在不同脑区和动物物种中使用的常见回路基元和架构方案。我还考虑了这些回路架构在发育过程中是如何组装的，以及它们可能是如何进化的。了解特定的突触连接模式如何实现特定的神经计算，将有助于缩小单个神经元的生物学和整个大脑的功能之间的巨大差距，使我们能够更好地理解行为的神经基础，并可能激发人工智能的新进展。
