Using theoretical neuroscience to investigate questions such as: What can neurons (and the brain) do? To what knowledge or interpretation do the available models of neurons and neuronal networks lead? What properties are needed for observed dynamics and functions? What are the implications of proposed mechanisms?
And through these questions develop an account of cognition that is immanent to the organsism.
Publications & manuscripts
- Houben, A.M., (2021). Frequency selectivity of neural circuits with heterogeneous transmission delays. Neural Computation 33, 1-19. DOI:10.1162/neco_a_01404
- Houben, A.M. & Keil, M.S., (2020). A calcium-influx-dependent plasticity model exhibiting multiple STDP curves. Journal of Computational Neuroscience 48(1), 65-84. DOI:10.1007/s10827-019-00737-1
- Houben, A.M., (preprint). Signal anticipation and delay in excitable media: group delay of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model. preprint:arXiv:2102.00500
- Houben, A.M., (preprint). Matched transient and steady-state approximation of first-passage-time distributions of coloured noise driven leaky neurons. preprint:arXiv:2102.02046
- Houben, A.M., (in preparation). Your thoughts are alive: neuronal assemblies and autopoiesis.
Research interests
theoretical neuroscience
My main research interests strive to achieve an understanding of neuronal systems and processes at different levels of (conceptual and qualitative) description through the development and analysis of theoretical and computational models.
I am interested in what neural systems can do once the brain is not seen as a computer. My tennative hypothesis is to conceptualise the brain (and organism) as a continuum, and that the aspects to be studied are transmission and excitability in active media.
I want to investigate how different micro- and mesoscale neuronal dynamics and neural interactions give rise to global network dynamics, with a special interest in the emergence and organisation of neuronal assemblies and what the roles of these cell assemblies are in perception, memory, cognition and processing in the brain.
Ultimately, I wish to discover how these principles and processes of the brain self-organise and give rise to behavior, memory and consciousness.
Besides these computational and mathematical angles I am interested to approach the understanding of the brain and organisms in a more philosophical way, which I believe to be an essential part of any scientific endeavour and crucial if we are to obtain any advancement in the study of the brain. Moreover, I am interested in scientific theory and philosophy in general.
Experience
I have a basis in system analysis and (digital) signal processing, combined with solid programming education and experience. My main languages include: Fortran, Python and C++.
I finished my research master in Behavior and Cognition at the University of Barcelona, with a publication of my master thesis project, carried out under the supervision of Matthias S. Keil, in the Journal of Computational Neuroscience.
Projects
see project page for more info