How does the brain learn the external world?

<strong>Seminar of the School of Physical Sciences --------------------------------------------</strong> Title: <strong>How does the brain learn the external world?</strong> Speaker: <strong>Tomoki Fukai </strong> (RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako) Date:<strong> July 8, 2016 (Friday)</strong> <strong>Abstract:</strong> Learning is one of the most amazing features of the brain. It is widely believed that the brain modulates neuronal wiring to improve its capability of information processing and adapt to changes in the environment. More than a half century ago, Donald Hebb hypothesized that "firing together, wiring together" could be the fundamental rule of organizing neuronal wiring. I will first introduce accumulating experimental evidence that supports this hypothesis. Then, I will explain the possible computational implications of these findings in neural computation.&nbsp;Finally, I will demonstrate that a biologically plausible rule of synaptic plasticity can solve a difficult real world problem called "Cocktail party effect".