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Conceptual and technical advances define a key moment for theoretical neuroscience

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Theoretical approaches have long shaped neuroscience, but current needs for theory are elevated and prospects for advancement are bright. Advances in measuring and manipulating neurons demand new models and analyses to guide interpretation. Advances in theoretical neuroscience offer new insights into how signals evolve across areas and new approaches for connecting population activity with behavior. These advances point to a global understanding of brain function based on a hybrid of diverse approaches.

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Figure 1: Multiple stages of analysis needed for neural data to inform our understanding of neural mechanism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anne K. Churchland is at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA.,

    Anne K Churchland

  2. L.F. Abbott is at the Department of Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.,

    L F Abbott

Authors
  1. Anne K Churchland
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  2. L F Abbott
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Correspondence to Anne K Churchland.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Churchland, A., Abbott, L. Conceptual and technical advances define a key moment for theoretical neuroscience. Nat Neurosci 19, 348–349 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4255

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