Duncan Astle
@duncanastle.bsky.social
Professor of Neuroinformatics at the University of Cambridge. Interested in child development, psychology, education and brains. He/him 🏳️🌈
Second, she used transcription data from the
@alleninstitute.org, and found that the genes in the PGS particularly overlap with the regional distribution of the ‘values’ part of the GNM – that is they define the areas the model wants to connect.
@alleninstitute.org, and found that the genes in the PGS particularly overlap with the regional distribution of the ‘values’ part of the GNM – that is they define the areas the model wants to connect.
July 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Second, she used transcription data from the
@alleninstitute.org, and found that the genes in the PGS particularly overlap with the regional distribution of the ‘values’ part of the GNM – that is they define the areas the model wants to connect.
@alleninstitute.org, and found that the genes in the PGS particularly overlap with the regional distribution of the ‘values’ part of the GNM – that is they define the areas the model wants to connect.
Those with *high* polygenic scores (PGS) for cognitive ability had a *softer* ‘distance penalty’ in their GNM. The end result is that networks form slightly more ‘shortest paths’. The end result? Slightly more stochastic, variable and efficient brain networks.
July 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Those with *high* polygenic scores (PGS) for cognitive ability had a *softer* ‘distance penalty’ in their GNM. The end result is that networks form slightly more ‘shortest paths’. The end result? Slightly more stochastic, variable and efficient brain networks.
First, she built connectomes from ~2k 10yr olds from ABCD. To each she fit a generative network model (GNM) – a simple computational model for simulating their topology.
July 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
First, she built connectomes from ~2k 10yr olds from ABCD. To each she fit a generative network model (GNM) – a simple computational model for simulating their topology.
Incredible visit to Wimpole Hall Christmas lights. Genuinely magical.
@nationaltrust.bsky.social
@nationaltrust.bsky.social
December 14, 2024 at 5:36 PM
Incredible visit to Wimpole Hall Christmas lights. Genuinely magical.
@nationaltrust.bsky.social
@nationaltrust.bsky.social
Barbara sends her best regards to the good people of bluesky...
November 20, 2024 at 5:48 AM
Barbara sends her best regards to the good people of bluesky...
Barbara is ready to take on 2024. Primed and ready.
January 1, 2024 at 8:34 PM
Barbara is ready to take on 2024. Primed and ready.
Oh no we didn't!*
*we actually did...
*we actually did...
December 21, 2023 at 6:25 AM
Oh no we didn't!*
*we actually did...
*we actually did...
Great way to finish a really busy term - the lab away day at Madingley Hall. Chance to reflect, share big ideas, plan for the year ahead, and have a lot of fun!
December 2, 2023 at 10:37 AM
Great way to finish a really busy term - the lab away day at Madingley Hall. Chance to reflect, share big ideas, plan for the year ahead, and have a lot of fun!
Babs sends her best regards
October 21, 2023 at 11:30 AM
Babs sends her best regards
Barbara has every sympathy for those caught in the rain on their commute home.
October 13, 2023 at 5:37 PM
Barbara has every sympathy for those caught in the rain on their commute home.
But do you see these shifts in actual kid's brains?! Yes you do. In the CALM cohort, weaker distance penalties in kids from lower SES envs, produce more stochastic, diverse and robust outcomes. Why? Again, we think it could be because this is *adaptive*.
October 12, 2023 at 3:27 PM
But do you see these shifts in actual kid's brains?! Yes you do. In the CALM cohort, weaker distance penalties in kids from lower SES envs, produce more stochastic, diverse and robust outcomes. Why? Again, we think it could be because this is *adaptive*.
Changing these different constraints also shifts how resilient the networks are to noise, at different points in development. This got us thinking that actually these shifts might be *adaptive* in certain environments. (See our earlier work in rodents: shorturl.at/qsDH6)
October 12, 2023 at 3:27 PM
Changing these different constraints also shifts how resilient the networks are to noise, at different points in development. This got us thinking that actually these shifts might be *adaptive* in certain environments. (See our earlier work in rodents: shorturl.at/qsDH6)
Weaker brain wiring constraints increase multifinality in network outcomes. Specifically, when you weaken the drive to connect neighbours you get more topologically dissimilar networks. Whereas when you weaken the distance penalty, you get connections forming in different places.
October 12, 2023 at 3:27 PM
Weaker brain wiring constraints increase multifinality in network outcomes. Specifically, when you weaken the drive to connect neighbours you get more topologically dissimilar networks. Whereas when you weaken the distance penalty, you get connections forming in different places.
How did we test this? Starting with a neonatal seed network, we simulated the formation of new connections using a computational model. We varied the modelling constraints, and tested whether systematic changes in those constraints shift the properties of the resulting networks
October 12, 2023 at 3:26 PM
How did we test this? Starting with a neonatal seed network, we simulated the formation of new connections using a computational model. We varied the modelling constraints, and tested whether systematic changes in those constraints shift the properties of the resulting networks
*New paper*
W/ Sofia Carozza (not a twit) & @danakarca.bsky.social, in PNAS
The adaptive stochasticity hypothesis shorturl.at/clz02 Bottom line: heightened stochasticity makes brains robust to random/targeted attacks, but more often results in non-normative phenotypes
Mini thread below!
W/ Sofia Carozza (not a twit) & @danakarca.bsky.social, in PNAS
The adaptive stochasticity hypothesis shorturl.at/clz02 Bottom line: heightened stochasticity makes brains robust to random/targeted attacks, but more often results in non-normative phenotypes
Mini thread below!
October 12, 2023 at 3:26 PM
*New paper*
W/ Sofia Carozza (not a twit) & @danakarca.bsky.social, in PNAS
The adaptive stochasticity hypothesis shorturl.at/clz02 Bottom line: heightened stochasticity makes brains robust to random/targeted attacks, but more often results in non-normative phenotypes
Mini thread below!
W/ Sofia Carozza (not a twit) & @danakarca.bsky.social, in PNAS
The adaptive stochasticity hypothesis shorturl.at/clz02 Bottom line: heightened stochasticity makes brains robust to random/targeted attacks, but more often results in non-normative phenotypes
Mini thread below!
Everybody, meet Babs, who arrived on Saturday.
October 9, 2023 at 7:02 AM
Everybody, meet Babs, who arrived on Saturday.
Welcoming a new cohort of undergraduates to Robinson College Cambridge. Such an enjoyable moment in the year.
October 2, 2023 at 8:18 PM
Welcoming a new cohort of undergraduates to Robinson College Cambridge. Such an enjoyable moment in the year.
Next time! Some of the tiles are wild.
September 30, 2023 at 2:12 PM
Next time! Some of the tiles are wild.
The Lisbon tile museum is way more exciting than it sounds.
September 30, 2023 at 11:26 AM
The Lisbon tile museum is way more exciting than it sounds.
Morning all, from lovely Lisbon.
September 30, 2023 at 9:24 AM
Morning all, from lovely Lisbon.
Greetings from medieval Portugal. Taking that final break before the academic year begins!
September 25, 2023 at 12:12 PM
Greetings from medieval Portugal. Taking that final break before the academic year begins!
Fabulous panel discussion this evening at the live launch of Belonging in School. Great to hear from teachers, policy experts, academics, and practitioners.
Find out more about the free resources at inclusion.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Find out more about the free resources at inclusion.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
September 20, 2023 at 10:16 PM
Fabulous panel discussion this evening at the live launch of Belonging in School. Great to hear from teachers, policy experts, academics, and practitioners.
Find out more about the free resources at inclusion.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Find out more about the free resources at inclusion.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk