Olivier Codol
@oliviercodol.bsky.social
Neuroscience, RL for motor learning, neural control of movement, NeuroAI.
Opinions stated here are my own, not those of my employer.
Opinions stated here are my own, not those of my employer.
Pinned
Brain-like neural dynamics for behavioral control develop through reinforcement learning
During development, neural circuits are shaped continuously as we learn to control our bodies. The ultimate goal of this process is to produce neural dynamics that enable the rich repertoire of behavi...
www.biorxiv.org
Here’s our latest work at @glajoie.bsky.social and @mattperich.bsky.social ‘s labs! Excited to see this out.
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Do you observe these issues with value functions instead of Q-values? I’ve had much less issues with value functions than Q-value based algorithms in the past and wondering if this relates
January 31, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Do you observe these issues with value functions instead of Q-values? I’ve had much less issues with value functions than Q-value based algorithms in the past and wondering if this relates
Reposted by Olivier Codol
The Neural Control and Computation Lab is seeking a skilled part-time software engineer in Toronto to lead the development of ATHENA (Automatically Tracking Hands Expertly with No Annotations), our open-source, Python-based toolbox for 3D markerless tracking!
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca
January 13, 2026 at 2:52 PM
The Neural Control and Computation Lab is seeking a skilled part-time software engineer in Toronto to lead the development of ATHENA (Automatically Tracking Hands Expertly with No Annotations), our open-source, Python-based toolbox for 3D markerless tracking!
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Why motor learning involves multiple systems: an algorithmic perspective https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695526v1
December 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Why motor learning involves multiple systems: an algorithmic perspective https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695526v1
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Great to see this paper on sensory expectations in motor control from @jonathanamichaels.bsky.social and @andpru.bsky.social out in Nature today!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
Sensory expectations shape neural population dynamics in motor circuits - Nature
Experiments with human volunteers and macaques show that expectations produced by probabilistic cueing of future sensory inputs shape motor circuit dynamics in order to increase the efficiency of move...
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Great to see this paper on sensory expectations in motor control from @jonathanamichaels.bsky.social and @andpru.bsky.social out in Nature today!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
I’m trying really hard to narrow down who is behind this every-Montreal-cycling-lanes masterpiece of a suit
December 15, 2025 at 11:32 PM
I’m trying really hard to narrow down who is behind this every-Montreal-cycling-lanes masterpiece of a suit
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Join us for Fall 2026. In our group, you can run studies from human behavior and neuroimaging, to large-scale NHP ephys, and join them up with a robust computational foundation. Bonus: you can help build the reading list.
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Diedrichsenlab
diedrichsenlab.org
December 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Join us for Fall 2026. In our group, you can run studies from human behavior and neuroimaging, to large-scale NHP ephys, and join them up with a robust computational foundation. Bonus: you can help build the reading list.
Wow and in winter, which is even more beautiful!
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Wow and in winter, which is even more beautiful!
Reposted by Olivier Codol
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Diedrichsenlab
diedrichsenlab.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:50 PM
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Come share your passion about motor control, sensory systems, neurophysiology, neurotechnology, and more at #NCMKobe26 !!
NCM is proud of the Meeting support program offered again for #NCMKobe26.
Learn more if you're a student, early-career scientist, or faculty who’s been underrepresented in the field.
Support is available for meeting travel + participation.
Details: ncm-society.org/dive...
Learn more if you're a student, early-career scientist, or faculty who’s been underrepresented in the field.
Support is available for meeting travel + participation.
Details: ncm-society.org/dive...
November 13, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Come share your passion about motor control, sensory systems, neurophysiology, neurotechnology, and more at #NCMKobe26 !!
As always, thank you to my kind friends and mentors along the way, who make my journey not only possible but also fun and fulfilling.
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
As always, thank you to my kind friends and mentors along the way, who make my journey not only possible but also fun and fulfilling.
In my free time, I am wrapping up (a lot of) work and projects with former colleagues and friends. I will be communicating these as they come, so stay tuned!
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
In my free time, I am wrapping up (a lot of) work and projects with former colleagues and friends. I will be communicating these as they come, so stay tuned!
While I'm sad to step away from my full-time academic work, the first few months have been fantastic—I'm enjoying doing exciting research at the scale possible in such an ambitious team and company. There's a lot to learn and I'm grateful for my inclusive colleagues enabling this experience.
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
While I'm sad to step away from my full-time academic work, the first few months have been fantastic—I'm enjoying doing exciting research at the scale possible in such an ambitious team and company. There's a lot to learn and I'm grateful for my inclusive colleagues enabling this experience.
Happy to announce that as of this summer, I've joined the CTRL-Labs group at Meta Reality Labs as a Research Scientist! I've also relocated to the bustling city of New York, where I hope I can do my best work (and enjoy running in Central Park).
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Happy to announce that as of this summer, I've joined the CTRL-Labs group at Meta Reality Labs as a Research Scientist! I've also relocated to the bustling city of New York, where I hope I can do my best work (and enjoy running in Central Park).
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Our next paper on comparing dynamical systems (with special interest to artificial and biological neural networks) is out!! Joint work with @annhuang42.bsky.social , as well as @satpreetsingh.bsky.social , @leokoz8.bsky.social , Ila Fiete, and @kanakarajanphd.bsky.social : arxiv.org/pdf/2510.25943
November 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Our next paper on comparing dynamical systems (with special interest to artificial and biological neural networks) is out!! Joint work with @annhuang42.bsky.social , as well as @satpreetsingh.bsky.social , @leokoz8.bsky.social , Ila Fiete, and @kanakarajanphd.bsky.social : arxiv.org/pdf/2510.25943
Reposted by Olivier Codol
🚨🚨 We're hiring !! Looking for postdoc? Come work in an international, collaborative and stimulating environment on mechanisms of human upper limb motor control
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
Postdoc Position on Systems Neuroscience, Motor Control at UCLouvain, Belgium
Project Title: Multi-disciplinary, multi-lab investigations of the neural bases of human sensorimotor control Project Description:
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
November 10, 2025 at 10:31 AM
🚨🚨 We're hiring !! Looking for postdoc? Come work in an international, collaborative and stimulating environment on mechanisms of human upper limb motor control
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
Reposted by Olivier Codol
A very nice contribution to the field, adding more evidence on how our expectations and goals shape upcoming motor commands.
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Thrilled that our paper is out today in Nature!
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
Sensory expectations shape neural population dynamics in motor circuits
Nature - Experiments with human volunteers and macaques show that expectations produced by probabilistic cueing of future sensory inputs shape motor circuit dynamics in order to increase the...
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
A very nice contribution to the field, adding more evidence on how our expectations and goals shape upcoming motor commands.
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Reposted by Olivier Codol
I’m looking for interns to join our lab for a project on foundation models in neuroscience.
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
AI and Neuroscience | IVADO
ivado.ca
November 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I’m looking for interns to join our lab for a project on foundation models in neuroscience.
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Yes! The advantages are much clearer wrt neural computation (memory, expressivity, and gradient propagation) than for exploration per se.
November 7, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Yes! The advantages are much clearer wrt neural computation (memory, expressivity, and gradient propagation) than for exploration per se.
Learning through motor noise (exploration) is well documented in humans (lots of cool work from Shadmehr and @olveczky.bsky.social) but the scale is rather small. Here if the dynamical regime helps exploration I’d say it should be within these scales as well.
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Learning through motor noise (exploration) is well documented in humans (lots of cool work from Shadmehr and @olveczky.bsky.social) but the scale is rather small. Here if the dynamical regime helps exploration I’d say it should be within these scales as well.
That being said this is not how we move (execute movements) and in that sense this is a model of learning rather control.
November 7, 2025 at 3:17 AM
That being said this is not how we move (execute movements) and in that sense this is a model of learning rather control.
I would say yes it’s possible. Particularly because a deviation is carried over instead of collapsing back, so the filtering function that non linear muscle activations have will not impact it as much as white noise.
November 7, 2025 at 3:16 AM
I would say yes it’s possible. Particularly because a deviation is carried over instead of collapsing back, so the filtering function that non linear muscle activations have will not impact it as much as white noise.
As in if the edge of chaos regime is a consequence or if it is a cause of RL’s need for exploration?
November 7, 2025 at 3:02 AM
As in if the edge of chaos regime is a consequence or if it is a cause of RL’s need for exploration?
Reposted by Olivier Codol
If you're interested in dynamical systems analysis for neuroscience, definitely check out @oliviercodol.bsky.social 's revised version of our RL paper! Very cool results in the new Fig 6, worth it regardless of if you saw our previous version or if it's all new.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
If you're interested in dynamical systems analysis for neuroscience, definitely check out @oliviercodol.bsky.social 's revised version of our RL paper! Very cool results in the new Fig 6, worth it regardless of if you saw our previous version or if it's all new.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
As always a huge thank you to my colleagues and supervisors @glajoie.bsky.social @mattperich.bsky.social and @nandahkrishna.bsky.social for helping make this work what it is—and making the journey so fun and interesting
November 6, 2025 at 2:14 AM
As always a huge thank you to my colleagues and supervisors @glajoie.bsky.social @mattperich.bsky.social and @nandahkrishna.bsky.social for helping make this work what it is—and making the journey so fun and interesting
We’re pleased to see RL's role in neural plasticity is increasingly under focus in the motor control community (check out @adrianhaith.bsky.social's latest piece!)
I strongly believe motor learning is sitting at the interface of many plasticity mechanisms and RL is an important piece of this puzzle.
I strongly believe motor learning is sitting at the interface of many plasticity mechanisms and RL is an important piece of this puzzle.
New Pre-Print:
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
We’re all familiar with having to practice a new skill to get better at it, but what really happens during practice? The answer, I propose, is reinforcement learning - specifically policy-gradient reinforcement learning.
Overview 🧵 below...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
We’re all familiar with having to practice a new skill to get better at it, but what really happens during practice? The answer, I propose, is reinforcement learning - specifically policy-gradient reinforcement learning.
Overview 🧵 below...
Policy-Gradient Reinforcement Learning as a General Theory of Practice-Based Motor Skill Learning
Mastering any new skill requires extensive practice, but the computational principles underlying this learning are not clearly understood. Existing theories of motor learning can explain short-term ad...
www.biorxiv.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:10 AM
We’re pleased to see RL's role in neural plasticity is increasingly under focus in the motor control community (check out @adrianhaith.bsky.social's latest piece!)
I strongly believe motor learning is sitting at the interface of many plasticity mechanisms and RL is an important piece of this puzzle.
I strongly believe motor learning is sitting at the interface of many plasticity mechanisms and RL is an important piece of this puzzle.