Bayesian approaches to brain function

Bayesian approaches to brain function investigate the capacity of the nervous system to operate in situations of uncertainty in a fashion that is close to the optimal prescribed by Bayesian statistics.[1][2] This term is used in behavioural sciences and neuroscience and studies associated with this term often strive to explain the brain's cognitive abilities based on statistical principles. It is frequently assumed that the nervous system maintains internal probabilistic models that are updated by neural processing of sensory information using methods approximating those of Bayesian probability.[3][4]

  1. ^ Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. (2013). Behavioral and Brain Sciences Behav Brain Sci, 36(03), 181-204. doi:10.1017/s0140525x12000477
  2. ^ Sanders, Laura (May 13, 2016). "Bayesian reasoning implicated in some mental disorders". Science News. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  3. ^ Kenji Doya (Editor), Shin Ishii (Editor), Alexandre Pouget (Editor), Rajesh P. N. Rao (Editor) (2007), Bayesian Brain: Probabilistic Approaches to Neural Coding, The MIT Press; 1 edition (Jan 1 2007)
  4. ^ Knill David, Pouget Alexandre (2004), The Bayesian brain: the role of uncertainty in neural coding and computation, Trends in Neurosciences Vol.27 No.12 December 2004