- A316 Portland Square, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 584917
- thomas.wennekers@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr Thomas Wennekers
Associate Professor in Computational Neuroscience
School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Dr Thomas Wennekers can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
- Computational neuroscience
- Brain modelling
- Neural networks
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Qualifications
Research Experience
- 11/2003 - now Reader in Computational Neuroscience, University of Plymouth, UK.
- 04/2003 - 11/2003 Junior Professor in Theoretical Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroinformatics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
- 01/1999 - 03/2003 Research Assistant, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- 1991 - 12/1998 PhD-Student, then Postdoc, Department for Neural Information Processing, University of Ulm, Germany.
- 1990 - 1991 Operating System Programmer, Vogt-Institute for Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany.
Education
7 July 1998
PhD in Computer Science (Dr.rer-nat.)
Faculty of Computer Science, University of Ulm, Germany
Topic: Synchronization and Association in Neural Networks
Supervisor: Prof Gunther Palm
1992 - 1998Education in Neuroscience as PhD-Student in a DFG-funded research initiative "Physiology and Theory of Neural Networks"
1991 - 1993Studies of Computer Science, University of Ulm, Germany
1 January 1991
Diploma in Physics (Dipl.Phys.)
Faculty of Physics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany
Topic: Stability in Neural Networks
Supervisor: Prof Gunther Palm
1983 - 1991Studies of Physics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany
1982 - 1983Military Service
22 June 1982Abitur, Kooperative Gesamtschule Altenkirchen/Westerwald, Germany
7 July 1998
PhD in Computer Science (Dr.rer-nat.)
Faculty of Computer Science, University of Ulm, Germany
Topic: Synchronization and Association in Neural Networks
Supervisor: Prof Gunther Palm
1992 - 1998Education in Neuroscience as PhD-Student in a DFG-funded research initiative "Physiology and Theory of Neural Networks"
1991 - 1993Studies of Computer Science, University of Ulm, Germany
1 January 1991
Diploma in Physics (Dipl.Phys.)
Faculty of Physics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany
Topic: Stability in Neural Networks
Supervisor: Prof Gunther Palm
1983 - 1991Studies of Physics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Dusseldorf, Germany
1982 - 1983Military Service
22 June 1982Abitur, Kooperative Gesamtschule Altenkirchen/Westerwald, Germany
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
Undergraduate Programme Lead for Computing
COMP1003 -- Algorithms, Data Structures and Mathematics
COMP3000 -- Computing Project
COMP3002 - Alternative Computing Paradigms
COMP3000 -- Computing Project
COMP3002 - Alternative Computing Paradigms
Supervision of BSc, MSc and PhD students
Research
Research
Research interests
Computational Neuroscience, Brain Theory, Hebbian Cell assemblies, Perception, Cognition, Language
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
(2023) 'Breakdown of category-specific word representations in a brain-constrained neurocomputational model of semantic dementia' Scientific Reports 13, (1) , DOI Open access
(2022) 'On the Importance of the Newborn Stage When Learning Patterns with the Spatial Pooler' SN Computer Science 3, (2) , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Biological constraints on neural network models of cognitive function' Nature Reviews Neuroscience 22, (8) 488-502 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Scaling the HTM Spatial Pooler' International Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Applications 11, (4) 83-100 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Is the letter cancellation task a suitable index of ego-depletion? Empirical and conceptual issues' Social Psychology , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Visual cortex recruitment during language processing in blind individuals is explained by Hebbian learning' Scientific Reports 9, , DOI Open access
(2018) 'A Neurobiologically Constrained Cortex Model of Semantic Grounding With Spiking Neurons and Brain-Like Connectivity' Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience 12, , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Behavioral Learning in a Cognitive Neuromorphic Robot: An Integrative Approach' IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Visual attention and object naming in humanoid robots using a bio-inspired spiking neural network' Robotics and Autonomous Systems 104, 56-71 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'ConversationPiece II: Displaced and Rehacked' AVANT. Trends in Interdisciplinary Studies , DOI Open access
(2017) 'A Spiking Neuron Model of Word Associations for the Remote Associates Test' Frontiers in Psychology 8, , DOI Open access
(2017) 'A Spiking Neurocomputational Model of High-Frequency Oscillatory Brain Responses to Words and Pseudowords' Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience 10, , DOI Open access
(2016) 'From Structure to Activity: Using Centrality Measures to Predict Neuronal Activity' International Journal of Neural Systems 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Brain connections of words, perceptions and actions: A neurobiological model of spatio-temporal semantic activation in the human cortex' Neuropsychologia , DOI Open access
(2015) 'A Hebbian cell assembly based neural field model for the remote associate task and creative search' BMC Neuroscience 16, (S1) , DOI
(2015) 'What must come down goes up - the effect of noise on weights in spike-timing-dependent plasticity' BMC Neuroscience 16, (S1) , DOI
(2014) 'Thinking in circuits: toward neurobiological explanation in cognitive neuroscience' Biol Cybern 108, (5) 573-593 , DOI Open access
(2014) 'A Spiking Self-Organising Map Combining STDP, Oscillations and Continuous Learning' IEEE Transactions on neural networks and learning systems 25, (5) 894-907 , DOI Open access
(2013) 'Adaptive training of cortical feature maps for a robot sensorimotor controller' Neural Netw 44, 6-21 , DOI
(2013) 'Information coding in a laminar computational model of cat primary visual cortex' J Comput Neurosci 34, (2) 273-283 , DOI
(2013) 'MULTIMODAL INTEGRATION OF MICRO-DOPPLER SONAR AND AUDITORY SIGNALS FOR BEHAVIOR CLASSIFICATION WITH CONVOLUTIONAL NETWORKS' INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEURAL SYSTEMS 23, (5) , DOI
(2013) 'A robust sound perception model suitable for neuromorphic implementation' Front Neurosci 7, , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Top-Down Feedback in an HMAX-Like Cortical Model of Object Perception Based on Hierarchical Bayesian Networks and Belief Propagation' PLOS ONE 7, (11) , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Spatio-temporal pattern recognizers using spiking neurons and spike-timing-dependent plasticity' Front Comput Neurosci 6, , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Characterising switching behaviour in perceptual multi-stability' J Neurosci Methods 210, (1) 79-92 , DOI
(2012) 'Tell me something interesting: context dependent adaptation in somatosensory cortex' J Neurosci Methods 210, (1) 35-48 , DOI
(2012) 'Characterising stimulus-specific adaptation using a multi-layer field model' Brain Res 1434, 178-188 , DOI
(2012) 'Emotions in autonomous agents: comparative analysis of mechanisms and functions' AUTONOMOUS AGENTS AND MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS 25, (1) 1-45 , DOI
(2012) 'Emergent Auditory Feature Tuning in a Real-Time Neuromorphic VLSI System' Front Neurosci 6, , DOI Open access
(2011) 'A neurocomputational model of stimulus-specific adaptation to oddball and Markov sequences' PLoS Comput Biol 7, (8) , DOI Open access
(2011) 'Phase-of-firing information coding in laminar cortical architecture' BMC Neuroscience 12, (S1) , DOI
(2011) 'The sleeping brain as a complex system' PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 369, (1952) 3697-3707 , DOI
(2011) 'Application of arachnid prey localisation theory for a robot sensorimotor controller' NEUROCOMPUTING 74, (17) 3335-3342 , DOI
(2011) 'Emergence of small-world structure in networks of spiking neurons through STDP plasticity' Adv Exp Med Biol 718, 33-39 , DOI
(2011) 'Emergent feature sensitivity in a model of the auditory thalamocortical system' Adv Exp Med Biol 718, 7-17 , DOI
(2011) 'STDP pattern onset learning depends on background activity' Adv Exp Med Biol 718, 19-31 , DOI
(2011) 'The role of feedback in a hierarchical model of object perception' Adv Exp Med Biol 718, 165-179 , DOI
(2009) 'Microcircuits--their structure, dynamics and role for brain function' Neural Netw 22, (8) 1037-1038 , DOI
(2009) 'Spatiotemporal dynamics in the cortical microcircuit: a modelling study of primary visual cortex layer 2/3' Neural Netw 22, (8) 1079-1092 , DOI
(2009) 'Distinguishing brain oscillations – understanding differences in topography, frequency, and incidence by a simple modeling framework' BMC Neuroscience 10, (S1) , DOI
(2009) 'Feedback in a hierarchical model of object recognition in cortex' BMC Neuroscience 10, (S1) , DOI
(2009) 'Formal concepts expressed by compositional hierarchical Hebbian cell assemblies' BMC Neuroscience 10, (S1) , DOI
(2009) 'Large-scale computational model of cat primary visual cortex' BMC Neuroscience 10, (S1) , DOI
(2009) 'Recruitment and Consolidation of Cell Assemblies for Words by Way of Hebbian Learning and Competition in a Multi-Layer Neural Network' Cognit Comput 1, (2) 160-176 , DOI
(2008) 'Multichannel analysis of neural oscillations in a simple model network – towards a better understanding of the spatiotemporal structure of brain oscillations' BMC Neuroscience 9, (S1) , DOI
(2008) 'Tuned solutions in dynamic neural fields as building blocks for extended EEG models' Cogn Neurodyn 2, (2) 137-146 , DOI
(2008) 'A neuroanatomically grounded Hebbian-learning model of attention-language interactions in the human brain' Eur J Neurosci 27, (2) 492-513 , DOI Open access
(2007) 'A cell assembly model for complex behaviour' Neurocomputing 70, (10-12) 1988-1992
(2007) 'A neuronal model of the language cortex' Neurocomputing 70, (10-12) 1914-1919
(2007) 'Cortical activity pattern computation' Biosystems 87, (2-3) 179-185
(2007) 'Dynamics of parameters of neurophysiological models from phenomenological EEG modeling' Neurocomputing 70, (10-12) 1848-1852
(2007) 'High-resolution multiple-unit EEG in cat auditory cortex reveals large spatio-temporal stochastic interactions' Biosystems 89, (1-3) 190-197
(2006) 'A temporal learning rule in recurrent systems supports high spatio-temporal stochastic interactions' Neurocomputing 69, (10-12) 1199-1202
(2006) 'Language models based on Hebbian cell assemblies' Journal of Physiology-Paris 100, (1-3) 16-30
(2005) 'Finite state automata resulting from temporal information maximization and a temporal learning rule' Neural Computation 17, (10) 2258-2290
(2005) 'Stochastic interaction in associative nets' Neurocomputing 65, 387-392
(2005) 'Synfire chains with conductance-based neurons: internal timing and coordination with timed input' Neurocomputing 65, 449-454
(2004) 'Separation of spatio-temporal receptive fields into sums of Gaussian components' Journal of Computational Neuroscience 16, (1) 27-38
(2004) 'Fitting of spatio-temporal receptive fields by sums of Gaussian components' Neurocomputing 58-60, 929-934
(2003) 'Dynamical properties of strongly interacting Markov chains' Neural Networks 16, (10) 1483-1497
(2003) 'Models of distributed associative memory networks in the brain' Theory in Biosciences 122, (1) 55-69
(2003) 'Pattern formation in intracortical neuronal fields' Network-Computation in Neural Systems 14, (2) 351-368
(2003) 'Spatial and temporal stochastic interaction in neuronal assemblies' Theory in Biosciences 122, (1) 5-18
(2003) 'Theories in bioscience - Editorial: Cell assemblies' Theory in Biosciences 122, (1) 1-4
(2003) 'Temporal infomax leads to almost deterministic dynamical systems' Neurocomputing 52-4, 461-466
(2003) 'Temporal Infomax on Markov chains with input leads to finite state automata' Neurocomputing 52-4, 431-436
(2002) 'Dynamic approximation of spatiotemporal receptive fields in nonlinear neural field models' Neural Computation 14, (8) 1801-1825
(2002) 'Is voltage-dependent synaptic transmission in NMDA receptors a robust mechanism for working memory?' Neurocomputing 44, 19-24
(2002) 'Nonlinear analysis of spatio-temporal receptive fields: I. Dynamic approximation method' Neurocomputing 44, 201-206
(2002) 'Nonlinear analysis of spatio-temporal receptive fields: II. Dynamic properties of V1 simple cells' Neurocomputing 44, 207-212
(2002) 'Nonlinear analysis of spatio-temporal receptive fields: III. RF-reconstruction from mean-field approximations' Neurocomputing 44, 213-218
(2002) 'Nonlinear analysis of spatio-temporal receptive fields: IV. Generic tuning properties for rectifying rate-functions' Neurocomputing 44, 219-223
(2002) 'Spatial dynamics of receptive fields in cat primary visual cortex related to the temporal structure of thalamocortical feedforward activity - Experiments and models' Experimental Brain Research 144, (4) 430-444
(2002) 'Nonlinear analysis of simple cell tuning in visual cortex' Artificial Neural Networks - Icann 2002 2415, 63-68
(2001) 'Associative memory in a pair of cortical cell groups with reciprocal projections' Neurocomputing 38, 1575-1580
(2001) 'Associative memory in networks of spiking neurons' Neural Networks 14, (6-7) 825-834
(2001) 'Generalized types of synchronization in networks of spiking neurons' Neurocomputing 38, 1037-1042
(2001) 'Neural field model of receptive field restructuring in primary visual cortex' Neural Computation 13, (1) 139-159
(2001) 'Nonlinear analysis of orientation tuning: Stationary properties of simple cells in V1' Neurocomputing 38, 439-444
(2001) 'Orientation tuning properties of simple cells in area V1 derived from an approximate analysis of nonlinear neural field models' Neural Computation 13, (8) 1721-1747
(2000) 'Generalized and partial synchronization of coupled neural networks' Network 11, (1) 41-61
(2000) 'Modelling studies on the computational function of fast temporal structure in cortical circuit activity' J Physiol Paris 94, (5-6) 473-488 , DOI
(1999) 'Complete synchronization in coupled neuromodules of different types' THEORY IN BIOSCIENCES 118, (3-4) 267-283
(1999) 'Gamma-oscillations support optimal retrieval in associative memories of two-compartment neurons' NEUROCOMPUTING 26-7, 573-578 , DOI
(1996) 'Synchronous chaos in high-dimensional modular neural networks' INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIFURCATION AND CHAOS 6, (11) 2055-2067 , DOI
(1996) 'A neural-network model of the cortico-hippocampal interplay: Contexts and generalization' ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 9, (2) 145-151 , DOI
(1995) 'A neural network model of the cortico-hippocampal interplay and the representation of contexts' Behav Brain Res 66, (1-2) 169-175 , DOI
(1991) 'SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF A SIMPLE-MODEL FOOD-CHAIN' ECOLOGICAL MODELLING 54, (3-4) 265-276 , DOI
'On the Natural Hierarchical Composition of Cliques in Cell Assemblies' Journal of Cognitive Neurodynamics 1, 128-138 , DOI
Reviews
(2006) 'Operational cell assemblies as a paradigm for brain-inspired future computing architectures' Neural Information Processing - Letters and Reviews 10, 135-145
Conference Papers
(2021) 'Improved HTM Spatial Pooler with Homeostatic Plasticity Control' 10th International Conference on Pattern Recognition Applications and Methods 2-/-0/20212-/-0/2021SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications , DOI Open access
(2020) 'On the Relationship Between Input Sparsity and Noise Robustness in Hierarchical Temporal Memory Spatial Pooler' ESSE 2020: 2020 European Symposium on Software Engineering ACM , DOI Open access
(2020) 'The Parallel HTM Spatial Pooler with Actor Model' 8th International Conference of Security, Privacy and Trust Management (SPTM 2020) AIRCC Publishing Corporation , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Learning Bidirectional Connections Between Areas With Standard Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity' 14th Neural Computation and Psychology Workshop WORLD SCIENTIFIC , DOI
(2016) 'Towards a Cognitively Realistic Representation of Word Associations' 2183-2188
(2015) 'Neural network model of semantic processing in the remote associates test'
(2014) 'Learning visual-motor Cell Assemblies for the iCub robot using a neuroanatomically grounded neural network' 2014 IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence, Cognitive Algorithms, Mind, and Brain (CCMB) 2-/-1/20142-/-1/2014IEEE , DOI
(2014) 'Towards Real-World Neurorobotics: Integrated Neuromorphic Visual Attention' 563-570
(2011) 'Gait-based person and gender recognition using micro-doppler signatures' 2011 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference (BioCAS) 1-/-1/20111-/-1/2011IEEE , DOI
(2011) 'A multimodal-corpus data collection system for cognitive acoustic scene analysis' 2011 45th Annual Conference on Information Sciences and Systems (CISS) 3-/-0/20113-/-0/2011IEEE , DOI
(2011) 'Modelling object perception in cortex: Hierarchical Bayesian networks and belief propagation' 2011 45th Annual Conference on Information Sciences and Systems (CISS) 3-/-0/20113-/-0/2011IEEE , DOI
(2011) 'Human Action Categorization Using Ultrasound Micro-Doppler Signatures' Springer Berlin Heidelberg 18-28 , DOI
(2000) 'Dynamics of spatio-temporal patterns in associative networks of spiking neurons' 597-602 , DOI
(1999) 'Analysis of spatio-temporal patterns in associative networks of spiking neurons' 245-250
(1999) 'Gamma-oscillations support optimal retrieval in associative memories of two-compartment neurons' 573-578
(1999) 'How imprecise is neuronal synchronization?' 579-585
(1999) 'Neural field description suggests feedforward mechanism of state-dependent visual receptive field changes' 67-72
(1998) 'Bidirectional completion of cell assemblies in the cortex' 531-536
(1997) 'On the relation between neural modelling and experimental neuroscience' 267-283
'A neural network model of the cortico-hippocampal interplay: contexts and generalization' First International Symposium on Intelligence in Neural and Biological Systems. INBS'95 IEEE Comput. Soc. Press , DOI
Reports
(2009) Felix - A Simulation-Tool for Neural Networks (and Dynamical Systems). User Guide. Open access
Personal
Personal
Other academic activities
Lead of the Centre for Robotics and Neural System (CRNS)REF Coordinator UoA11 - Computer Science and Informatics
Additional information
Editor for PLOS one, Frontiers Neuroinformatics, J Cognitive NeurodynamicsReviewer for MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, some other international research councils and plenty journals.
Links
https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=O8o-hscAAAAJ&hl=en