Computational Neuroscience Institute of Physiology University of Bern
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Walter Senn




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Walter Senn

Department of Physiology
University of Bern
Bühlplatz 5
CH-3012, Bern
Switzerland

Phone +41 31 631 87 21
Fax +41 31 631 46 11
EMail senn@pyl.unibe.ch

Research Interests

  • Synaptic plasticity and the formation of memory.
  • Computational theory of learning and classifying.
  • Biophysical models of synapses and neurons.
  • Populations dynamics of spiking neurons and their synapses.

Publications

General articles and press commentaries

Nervenzellen lernen aus Fehlentscheiden
Der Bund, Tagesanzeiger, 16. Feb. 2009,
(comment on Urbanczik and Senn, 2009)

Berner Forscher entdecken Demokratie der Hirnzellen
Berner Zeitung, 16. Feb. 2009,
(comment on Urbanczik and Senn, 2009)

A l'école des neurons
LeTemps, 16. Feb. 2009, par Lucia Sillig
(comment on Urbanczik and Senn, 2009)

Wie man mit Mathematik das Gehirn erklärt online-page uniaktuell
von Bettina Jakob
Uniaktuell, Das Online Magazin der Universität Bern, 28.8.2007
(comment on Schäfer et al., 2007)

Das Hirn braucht Mathematik. Ein Plädoyer für Top-down-Modelle in der Biologie und den Neurowissenschaften (NZZ-Seite)
W. Senn
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), Mittwoch 22. August 2007, Nr. 193, B5, Forschung und Technik. (Online Artikel, Bild)

Mathematisierung der Biologie: Mode oder Notwendigkeit? (pdf)
W. Senn
Beitrag zum Collegium Generale 2006, "Aktualität und Vergänglichkeit der Leitwissenchaften", Universität Bern.
Publiziert in der Reihe "Berner Kulturhistorische Vorlesungen", Peter Lang AG, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, Bern 2009, S. 97-118

Neuroscience - Journal papers

Spike time-dependent plasticity and heterosynaptic competition organize networks to produce long scale-free sequences of neural activity.
I.R. Fiete, W. Senn, C. Wang and R.H.R. Hahnloser
Neuron (in press, 2010)

Adaptive gain modulation in V1 explains contextual modifications during bisection learning. (pdf)
R. Schäfer, E. Vasilaki and W. Senn
PLoS Comp. Biology 5(12), (2009)

Spike-based reinforcement learning in continuous state and action space: when policy gradient methods fail. (pdf)
E. Vasilaki, N. Frémaux, R. Urbanczik, W. Senn and W. Gerstner
PLoS Comp. Biology 5(12), (2009)

Learning spike-based population codes by reward and population feedback. (pdf)
J. Friedrich, R. Urbanczik and W. Senn
Neural Computation, in press (2009)

Stimulus sampling as an exploration mechanism for fast reinforcement learning. (pdf)
Vladimirskiy BB, Vasilaki E, Urbanczik R and Senn, W.
Biological Cybernetics 100(4):319-30 (2009)

Learning flexible sensori-motor mappings in a complex network. (pdf)
E. Vasilaki, S. Fusi, X.-J. Wang and W. Senn.
Biological Cybernetics 100(2):147-158 (2009)

Reinforcement learning in populations of spiking neurons. (pdf, Supplementary Information)
R. Urbanczik and W. Senn.
Press commentaries see above.
Nature Neuroscience 12:250-52, (2009)

Dendritic encoding of sensory stimuli controlled by deep cortical interneurons. (pdf, Supplementary Information)
M. Murayama, E. Pérez-Garci, T. Nevian, T Bock, W. Senn & ME. Larkum.
Nature 457:1137-1142 (2009)

A gradient learning rule for the tempotron. (pdf)
R. Urbanczik and W. Senn
Neural Computation 21, 340-352 (2009)

The response of cortical neurons to in vivo-like input current: theory and experiment. I. Noisy inputs with stationary statistics. (pdf)
G. La Camera, M. Giugliano, W. Senn, S. Fusi.
Biol Cybern., 99(4-5):279-301 (2008)

The response of cortical neurons to in vivo-like input current: theory and experiment. II. Time-varying and spatially distributed inputs. (pdf)
M. Giugliano, G. La Camera, S. Fusi, W. Senn.
Biol Cybern., 99(4-5):303-18 (2008)

Modulating the granularity of category formation by global cortical states. (pdf)
Y. Kim, B. Vladimirskiy and W. Senn
Front. Comput. Neurosci., (2008)2:1. doi: 10.3389/neuro.10.001.2008

Dopamine increases the gain of the input-output response of rat prefrontal pyramidal neurons. (pdf)
K. Thurley, W. Senn, and H.-R. Lüscher
J Neurophysiol, 99(6):2985-97 (2008)

Learning real world stimuli in a neural network with spike-driven synaptic dynamics. (pdf)
J. Brader, W. Senn and S. Fusi
Neural Computation, 19: 2881-2912 (2007)

Perceptual learning via modification of cortical top-down signals. (pdf, Suppl. Material, press commentary (with MS Explorer))
R. Schäfer, E. Vasilaki, W. Senn
PLoS Comp. Biol. Vol. 3(8), e165, Aug. 2007

Extending lifetime of plastic changes in the human brain. (pdf)
T. Nyffeler, P. Wurtz, H.-R. Lüscher, C.W. Hess, W. Senn, T. Pflugshaupt, R. von Wartburg, M. Lüthi, René M. Müri
European Journal of Neuroscience 24, 2961–2966 (2006)

Repetitive TMS over the human oculomotor cortex: Comparison of 1-Hz and theta burst stimulation. (pdf)
T. Nyffeler, P. Wurtz, H.-R. Lüscher, C.W. Hess, W. Senn, T. Pflugshaupt, R. von Wartburg, M. Lüthi, René M. Müri
Neuroscience Letters 409, 57–60 (2006)

Multiple time scales of temporal response in pyramidal and fast spiking cortical neurons. (pdf)
G. La Camera, A. Rauch, D. Thurbon, H.-R. Lüscher, W. Senn, and S. Fusi
J. of Neurophysiolgy, 96(6):3448–3464 (2006)

Eluding oblivion with smart stochastic selection of synaptic updates. (pdf)
S. Fusi and W. Senn
Chaos, An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science, 16, 026112; 1-11 (2006)

Convergence of stochastic learning in perceptrons with binary synapses. (pdf)
W. Senn and S. Fusi
Physical Review E 71(6), 061907(12) (2005)

Learning only when necessary: better memories of correlated patterns in networks with bounded synapses. (pdf)
With a proof of the perceptron convergence theorem for synapses with analog and bounded strengths.
W. Senn and S. Fusi
Neural Computation 17, 2106-2138 (2005)

Minimal models of adapted neuronal response to in vivo-like input currents. (pdf)
G. La Camera, A. Rauch, H.-R. Lüscher, W. Senn and S. Fusi
Neural Computation, 16(10):2101-24 (2004)

Top-down dendritic input increases the gain of layer 5 pyramidal neurons. (pdf)
M. Larkum, W. Senn and H.-R. Lüscher
Cerebral Cortex, 14:1059-1070 (2004)

Climbing neuronal activity as an event-based cortical representation of time. (pdf)
J. Reutimann, V. Yakovlev, S. Fusi and W. Senn
The Journal of Neuroscience, 24:3295-3303 (2004)

Hyperpolarization-activated current Ih disconnects somatic and dendritic spike initiation zones in layer V pyramidal neurons. (pdf)
T. Berger, W. Senn and H.-R. Lüscher
Journal of Neurophysiology, 90:2428-2437 (2003)

Neocortical pyramidal cells respond as integrate-and-fire neurons to in vivo-like input currents. (pdf)
A. Rauch, G. La Camera, H-R Lüscher, W. Senn and S. Fusi
Journal of Neurophysiology, 90:1598-1612 (2003)

Spike-based synaptic plasticity and the emergence of direction selective simple cells: mathematical analysis. (pdf)
W. Senn and N.J. Buchs
Journal of Computational Neuroscience, 14:119-138 (2003)

Spike-based synaptic plasticity and the emergence of direction selective simple cells: simulation results. (pdf)
N.J. Buchs and W. Senn
Journal of Computational Neuroscience, 13:167-186 (2002)

A synaptic explanation of suppression in visual cortex (pdf). Appendix: Mathematical derivations (pdf).
M. Carandini, D.J. Heeger and W. Senn
The Journal of Neuroscience, 22(22):10053-10065 (2002)

Beyond spike-timing: the role of nonlinear plasticity and unreliable synapses (pdf).
W. Senn
Hebb in Perspective, special issue of Biological Cybernetics, 87:344-355 (2002)
Editorial by J.L. van Hemmen and W. Senn (pdf) to "Hebb in perspectives", Biol. Cyb., vol. 87, issues 5-6.

Activity-dependent development of axonal and dendritic delays or, why synaptic transmission should be unreliable. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, M. Schneider and B. Ruf
Neural Computation 14(3), 583-620 (2002)

An algorithm for modifying neurotransmitter release probability based on pre- and post-synaptic spike timing. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, H. Markram and M. Tsodyks.
Neural Computation 13(1), 35-68 (2001)

Similar non-leaky integrate-and-fire neurons with instantaneous couplings always synchronize. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn and R. Urbanczik
SIAM J. Appl. Math. 61(4), 1143-1155, 2001

Modeling of spontaneous activity in developing spinal cord using activity-dependent depression in an excitatory network. (pdf)
Joël Tabak, Walter Senn, Michael J. O'Donovan and John Rinzel
The Journal of Neuroscience 20(8):3041-3056 (2000)

Recruitment of reticulospinal neurones and steady locomotion in lamprey (pdf)
T. Wannier and W. Senn
Neural Networks 11, 1005-1015 (1998)

Pattern generation by two coupled time-discrete neural networks with synaptic depression. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, Th. Wannier, J. Kleinle, H.-R.Lüscher, L. Müller, J. Streit and K. Wyler
Neural Computation 10, 1251-1275 (1998)

Reading neuronal synchrony with depressing synapses. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, I. Segev and M. Tsodyks
Neural Computation 10, 815-819 (1998)

Size principle and information theory. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, K. Wyler, H. P. Clamann, J. Kleinle, H.-R. Lüscher and L. Müller
Biol. Cybernetics, Vol. 76, pp 11-22, 1997

Dynamics of a random neural network with synaptic depression. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, K. Wyler, J. Streit, M. Larkum, H.-R. Lüscher, H. Mey, L. Müller, D. Steinhauser, K. Vogt and Th. Wannier
Neural Networks, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp 575-588, 1996

Transmitter concentration profiles in the synaptic cleft: an analytical model of release and diffusion. (pdf, ps.gz)
J. Kleinle, K. Vogt, H.-R. Lüscher, L. Müller, W. Senn, K. Wyler and J. Streit
Biophysical Journal, Vol. 71, pp 2413-2426, Nov. 1996

Proceedings

Slow stochastic learning with global inhibition: a biological solution to the binary perceptron problem. (pdf)
W. Senn and S. Fusi
Neurocomputing, 58-60, 321-326 (2004)

Comparison between networks of conductance- and current-driven neurons: stationary spike rates and subthreshold depolarization. (pdf)
G. La Camera, W. Senn and S. Fusi
Neurocomputing, 58-60, 253-258 (2004)

Equivalent networks of conductance- and current-driven neurons. (pdf)
G. La Camera, W. Senn and S. Fusi
O. Kaynak (Ed.): Supplementary Proceedings of ICANN/ICONIP 2003, LNCS 2714, pp. 449-452, Springer-Verlag (2003)

When NMDA receptor conductances increase inter-spike interval variability. (pdf)
G. La Camera, S. Fusi, W. Senn, A. Rauch and H-R Lüscher
Proceedings of ICANN 2002, LNCS 2415, pp. 235-240, Springer-Verlag (2002)
Rewarded by "Best contribution to ICANN 2002"

Firing rate adaptation without losing sensitivity to input fluctuations. (pdf)
G. La Camera, A. Rauch, W. Senn, H-R Lüscher and S. Fusi
J.R. Dorronsoro (Ed.): Proceedings of ICANN 2002, LNCS 2415, pp. 180-185, Springer-Verlag (2002)

Learning direction selectivity through spike-timing dependent modification of neurotransmitter release probability. (pdf)
N.J. Buchs and W. Senn
In: Neurocomputing 38-40, pp. 121-127, 2001

A Model of Expectation Effects in Inferior Temporal Cortex. (pdf, ps.gz)
J. Reutimann, S. Fusi, W. Senn, V. Yakovlev and E. Zohary
In: Neurocomputing 38-40, pp. 1533-1540, 2001

Models of rhythmic activity in chicken spinal cord preparations.
J. Tabak, J. Rinzel, W. Senn
In: Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research , ed. J.M. Bower, 1999

A model of how rapid changes in local input resistance of shark electrosensory neurons may enable detection of small signals. (pdf, ps.gz)
M. Paulin, W. Senn, Y. Yarom, H. Meiri, D. Cohen
In: Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research , ed. J.M. Bower, 1998

Cable properties of motoneurons in rat spinal cord slice cultures.
J. Kleinle, M. Larkum, N. Buchs, W.Senn, H.-L. Lüscher
In: Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research , ed. J.M. Bower, 1998

An algorithm for synaptic modification based on exact timing of pre- and post-synaptic action potentials. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, M. Tsodyks, H. Markram
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 1327, Artificial Neural Networks - ICANN'97, pp 121-126

A fuzzy logic approach to neuronal modeling. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, M. Jakob, K. Wyler, J. Kleinle, H.-R.Lüscher, H. Mey, L. Müller
Proceedings of the Swiss Computer Science Conference 1996, SCSC'96

Selected abstracts

Learning with bounded synapses balances neuronal input and equalizes synaptic weights. (pdf)
W. Senn and S. Fusi
Cosyne 2005, Utah 2005

Cross-orientation suppression in V1 explained by synaptic depression. (html)
M. Carandini, D.J. Heeger, W. Senn
Society for Neuroscience, 2001

Modelling cortical expectation effects with dynamical synapses. (html)
J. Reutimann, S. Fusi, W. Senn, H.-R. Lüscher
Society for Neuroscience, 2001

Learning direction selectivity through adaptation of the vesicle release probability. (pdf)
N.J. Buchs, J. Reutimann and W. Senn
Society for Neuroscience, 1999

Bursting network activity induced by different types of synaptic adaptations. (pdf)
W. Senn, J. Tabak, J. Rinzel and J. Streit
Society for Neuroscience, 1999

Habilitation

Short-term synaptic plasticity and cortical computation.
(Complete document, 212 pages, 6MB: pdf, ps.gz. Table of Content and Introduction, 26 pages, 0.5MB: pdf)
W. Senn, Phil.-nat. Faculty and Med. Faculty, University of Bern, October 2000

Technical Reports

Recruitment by size and principle of least action. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, K. Wyler, H. P. Clamann, J. Kleinle, M. Larkum, H.-R. Lüscher, L. Müller, J. Streit, K. Vogt and Th. Wannier
Techn. Rep. IAM-95-004, aftp: 130.92.64.5, /pub/TechReports/1995/iam-95004.ps.gz

Various explanations of the size principle. (pdf, ps.gz)
W. Senn, K. Wyler, H. P. Clamann, J. Kleinle, M. Larkum, H.-R. Lüscher, L. Müller, J. Streit, K. Vogt and Th. Wannier
Techn. Rep. IAM-95-012, aftp: 130.92.64.5, /pub/TechReports/1995/iam-95012.ps.gz

The generation of oscillatory activity in simulated random excitatory neural networks with synaptic depression
Jürg Streit and Walter Senn
Physiological Institute, University of Bern, 1998

Pure and Applied Mathematics - Journal papers

Strikte Konvexität für Variationsprobleme auf dem n-dimensionalen Torus
Walter Senn, manuscripta mathematica 71, 45-65 (1991)

Über Mosers regularisiertes Variationsproblem für minimale Blätterungen des n-dimensionalen Torus
Walter Senn, J. Appl. Math. and Phys. (ZAMP), vol. 42, 527-546 (1991)

Strange limits of stability in host parasitoid systems
Ch. Meier, W. Senn, R. Hauser, M. Zimmermann, J. Math. Biol. 32:563-572 (1994)

A cospectral correlation model for measurement of turbulent NO_2 flux
Werner Eugster and Walter Senn, Boundary-Layer Meteorology 74:321-340 (1995)

Differentiability properties of the minimal average action
Walter Senn, Calc. Var. 3, 343-384 (1995)

Phase-locking in the multidimensional Frenkel-Kontorova model
Walter Senn, Math Zeitschrift (ZAMP), 623-643 (1998)

Equilibrium forms of crystals and stable norm
Walter Senn, J. Appl. Math. and Phys. (ZAMP), vol. 49, 919-933 (1998)

Organization of workshops, symposia, and special issues

Special teaching

eduswiss-Kurs Neuronale Netze (I-NNG 2002):

Forum Mathematik und Unterricht (Weiterbildung Gymnasiallehrer, Juni 03)

Medical curriculum: 1. year and 2. year

Curriculum Vitae

1990 Diploma in Mathematics, University of Bern
(1. Prize of the Phil. Nat. Faculty, University of Bern, 1990)
1990/1991 PhD student at the Mathematical Department at Lomonossov University, Moscow (Prof. Y. Sinai)
1990-1993 PhD in Mathematics, University of Bern and Freiburg i.Br. (Prof. V. Bangert)
(1. Prize of the Dept. of Math., Stat. and Comp. Science, Univ. of Bern, 1993)
1994-98 Research Assistent at the Institute of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, University of Bern
High school teaching diploma, Zürich.Teaching activities at the University of Applied Sciences, Bern
1996/97 Postdoc at Hebrew University, Dept. of Neurobiology, Jerusalem (Prof. Idan Segev)
1998/99 Visits at John Rinzel's lab at NIH, Bethesda, and NYU, New York
1999-2002 Oberassistent at the Institute of Physiology, University of Bern
2001 Habilitation at the Phil.-nat. and the Medical Faculty, University of Bern
2002-2006 Assistance Professor at the Institute of Physiology, University of Bern
Jan 2006- Coeditor-in-chief of Biological Cybernetics
Oct 2006- Full professor at the Institute of Physiology, University of Bern



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