Advanced Data Analysis In Neuroscience

This book is intended for use in advanced graduate courses in statistics / machine learning, as well as for all experimental neuroscientists seeking to understand statistical methods at a deeper level, and theoretical neuroscientists with a limited background in statistics. It reviews almost all areas of applied statistics, from basic statistical estimation and test theory, linear and nonlinear approaches for regression and classification, to model selection and methods for dimensionality reduction, density estimation and unsupervised clustering. Its focus, however, is linear and nonlinear time series analysis from a dynamical systems perspective, based on which it aims to convey an understanding also of the dynamical mechanisms that could have generated observed time series. Further, it integrates computational modeling of behavioral and neural dynamics with statistical estimation and hypothesis testing. This way computational models in neuroscience are not only explanatory frameworks, but become powerful, quantitative data-analytical tools in themselves that enable researchers to look beyond the data surface and unravel underlying mechanisms. Interactive examples of most methods are provided through a package of MatLab routines, encouraging a playful approach to the subject, and providing readers with a better feel for the practical aspects of the methods covered. "Computational neuroscience is essential for integrating and providing a basis for understanding the myriads of remarkable laboratory data on nervous system functions. Daniel Durstewitz has excellently covered the breadth of computational neuroscience from statistical interpretations of data to biophysically based modeling of the neurobiological sources of those data. His presentation is clear, pedagogically sound, and readily useable by experts and beginners alike. It is a pleasure to recommend this very well crafted discussion to experimental neuroscientists as well as mathematically well versed Physicists. The book acts as a window to the issues, to the questions, and to the tools for finding the answers to interesting inquiries about brains and how they function." Henry D. I. Abarbanel Physics and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego “This book delivers a clear and thorough introduction to sophisticated analysis approaches useful in computational neuroscience. The models described and the examples provided will help readers develop critical intuitions into what the methods reveal about data. The overall approach of the book reflects the extensive experience Prof. Durstewitz has developed as a leading practitioner of computational neuroscience. “ Bruno B. Averbeck

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2015 in the subject Medicine - Other, grade: II Level Master, University of Pavia (Unit of Medical and Genomic Statistics), course: Medical and Genomic Statistics, language: English, abstract: Electroencephalography, commonly called 'EEG', estimates through the application of electrodes, the electrical activity of the brain (which is the sum of the electrical activity of each neuron). In recent years, with the goal of making more reliable the EEG, many researchers have turned their interest in the development of tools, methods and software. This thesis describes some best procedures for the experimental design, data visualization and descriptive or inferential statistical analysis. The application of statistical models to single or multiple subjects study-design are also described, including parametric and non-parametric approaches. Methods for processing multivariate data (PCA, ICA, clustering) were described. Re-sampling methods (bootstrap) using many randomly software-generated samples were also described. The aim of this work is to provide, with statistical concepts and examples, information on the qualitative and quantitative approaches related to the electroencephalographic signals. The work consists into three parts: INTRODUTION TO ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY (GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS); DATA MINING AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESIGNS. The six works included in the section called “EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESIGNS” analyze EEG alterations in the protocols: Electrocortical activity in dancers and non-dancers listening to different music genre and during imaginative dance motor activity; Electrocortical activity during monosynaptic reflex in athletes; Monitoring of electrocortical activity for evaluation of seasickness; Electrocortical activity in different body positions; Electrocortical activity in athletes and non-athletes during body balance tasks; Electrocortical responses in volunteers with and without specific experience watching movies including the execution of complex motor gestures. In the section called “OTHER INTERESTING THINGS” were included one work that analyze EMG (electromyography) alterations in pathological and healthy subjects in the protocol: Comparison between clinical diagnostic criteria of sleep bruxism and those provided by a validated portable holter. The described procedures can be used for clinical trials, although the studies proposed in this work do not refer to samples from pathological subjects. With its multi-specialist approach, through many theoretical and practical feedback, this work will be useful for specializing in neuroscience, statistics, engineering or physiology.

Soft computing, as an engineering science, and statistics, as a classical branch of mathematics, emphasize different aspects of data analysis. Soft computing focuses on obtaining working solutions quickly, accepting approximations and unconventional approaches. Its strength lies in its flexibility to create models that suit the needs arising in applications. In addition, it emphasizes the need for intuitive and interpretable models, which are tolerant to imprecision and uncertainty. Statistics is more rigorous and focuses on establishing objective conclusions based on experimental data by analyzing the possible situations and their (relative) likelihood. It emphasizes the need for mathematical methods and tools to assess solutions and guarantee performance. Combining the two fields enhances the robustness and generalizability of data analysis methods, while preserving the flexibility to solve real-world problems efficiently and intuitively.

The theory of data assimilation and machine learning is introduced in an accessible manner for undergraduate and graduate students.

An authoritative and in-depth treatment of state space methods, with a range of applications in neural and clinical data.

This book explores various state-of-the-art aspects behind the statistical analysis of neuroimaging data. It examines the development of novel statistical approaches to model brain data. Designed for researchers in statistics, biostatistics, computer science, cognitive science, computer engineering, biomedical engineering, applied mathematics, physics, and radiology, the book can also be used as a textbook for graduate-level courses in statistics and biostatistics or as a self-study reference for Ph.D. students in statistics, biostatistics, psychology, neuroscience, and computer science.

A comprehensive guide to the conceptual, mathematical, and implementational aspects of analyzing electrical brain signals, including data from MEG, EEG, and LFP recordings. This book offers a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of analyzing electrical brain signals. It explains the conceptual, mathematical, and implementational (via Matlab programming) aspects of time-, time-frequency- and synchronization-based analyses of magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), and local field potential (LFP) recordings from humans and nonhuman animals. It is the only book on the topic that covers both the theoretical background and the implementation in language that can be understood by readers without extensive formal training in mathematics, including cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists. Readers who go through the book chapter by chapter and implement the examples in Matlab will develop an understanding of why and how analyses are performed, how to interpret results, what the methodological issues are, and how to perform single-subject-level and group-level analyses. Researchers who are familiar with using automated programs to perform advanced analyses will learn what happens when they click the “analyze now” button. The book provides sample data and downloadable Matlab code. Each of the 38 chapters covers one analysis topic, and these topics progress from simple to advanced. Most chapters conclude with exercises that further develop the material covered in the chapter. Many of the methods presented (including convolution, the Fourier transform, and Euler's formula) are fundamental and form the groundwork for other advanced data analysis methods. Readers who master the methods in the book will be well prepared to learn other approaches.