Convergent Science Network Podcast

This post-lecture interview was conducted during the BCBT Summerschool held at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, september 2010. 

A brain that produces consciousness most probably is a complex brain. But how can you quantify the assessment of such a statement, how can you measure complexity in structure and activity? Marcello Massimini (University of Milan, Italy) assesses the brain as a structure that is integrated, and at the same time differentiated. Together with Paul Verschure he discusses the possibilities and limitations of measurement techniques like TMS, EEG, and fMRI, as well as the meaningfulness of the data these techniques can produce. He presents a pragmatical approach, a rough appraisal of a brain's dynamical state, rather than an assessment of from what kind of activity consciousness does emerge.

About the lecturer
Marcello Massimini is professor in neurophysiology at the University of Milan. He has performed in vivo intracellular recordings to study the mechanisms of sleep slow oscillations (Mircea Steriade's lab, Laval University, Canada) and has accumulated a vast experience in human basic and clinical electrophysiology (evoked potentials, polysomnography and hd-EEG during wakefulness and sleep). During the last two years Dr. Massimini has been testing the first commercially available TMS/EEG system (Nexstim. Ltd.) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison with Prof. Giulio Tononi.