A Reconstruction of the Neocortical Column

A multitude of experiments over the past century have yielded deep insights into the cellular and synaptic organization of the microcircuitry of the neocortex and its possible role as a functional unit - a column of cells across 6 layers. The available data is, however, not standardized, is highly fragmented and often conflicting. More importantly, there are large gaps in our knowledge requiring an impractical number of experiments to fill. We therefore developed a strategy to accelerate a comprehensive analysis of the neocortical column by attempting to reconstruct it from partial information. We performed a spectrum of standardized biological experiments on strategic cellular and synaptic properties of the microcircuitry of the somatosensory cortex of a young rat and gathered further relevant data from previously published studies. We developed a generic supercomputer-based platform to build and simulate biologically-detailed brain models, and attempted to reconstruct a first draft of a unifying model at the cellular level of detail. The model integrates and unifies most of the current data, significantly predicts missing data, and provides a broad range of new insights into the structural and functional organization of neocortical microcircuitry. The model also serves as a virtual specimen for a new generation of simulation-based experimentation that can accelerate an integrated understanding of the cellular and synaptic basis of neocortical function.