Investigators
Mounya Elhilali
Contact info (email)
mounya@jhu.edu
1. Define context(s)
reveal new biological insights
Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level
Adequate
Primary goal of the model/tool/database
The model builds an architecture of the auditory system in the brain where we aim to understand how humans are able to perceive complex sounds in everyday environments where multiple distractors and sources overlap and can overwhelm the sensory system. This challenge, called the cocktail party problem, engages complex mechanisms in the brain to facilitate listening to sounds of interest. The current project focuses on the interaction between sensory processing (sound characteristics) and cognitive feedback (expectations based on memory, attention) to guide perception. It develops a dynamical system model that operates at multiple neural and time scales to examine the interaction between sensory and cognitive processes. By gaining a better understanding of the neural substrates of sensory and cognitive interactions, the model aims to inform speculated relationships between hearing and cognitive fitness especially in hearing-impaired and elderly populations.
Biological domain of the model
Brain
Structure(s) of interest in the model
auditory system
Spatial scales included in the model
networks of neurons at level of auditory, parietal and frontal cortex
Time scales included in the model
seconds to minutes, hours and lifetime (short and long-term memory)
2. Data for building and validating the model
| Data for building the model | Published? | Private? | How is credibility checked? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in vitro (primary cells cell, lines, etc.) | ||||
| ex vivo (excised tissues) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (lower-level organism or small animal) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (large animal) | ||||
| Human subjects/clinical | X | replicate responses of human listeners | adequate | |
| Other: ________________________ |
| Data for validating the model | Published? | Private? | How is credibility checked? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in vitro (primary cells cell, lines, etc.) | ||||
| ex vivo (excised tissues) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (lower-level organism or small animal) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (large animal) | ||||
| Human subjects/clinical | X | replicate responses of human listeners | adequate | |
| Other: ________________________ |
3. Validate within context(s)
| Who does it? | When does it happen? | How is it done? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verification | project team | based on predictions from various variations of the model compared against human data | statistical comparison of perfermance | partial |
| Validation | project team as well as open challenges in the scientific community | final large scale performance analysis on real world tasks (e.g. speech detection in noise), which occurs once key components of the model are integrated together. | compare to state-of-the-art systems | partial |
| Uncertainty quantification | project team | as different components of the model are integrated | comparison against human performance | partial |
| Sensitivity analysis | project team | as different components of the model are integrated | comparison against human performance | partial |
| Other:__________ | ||||
| Additional Comments |
4. Limitations
| Disclaimer statement (explain key limitations) | Who needs to know about this disclaimer? | How is this disclaimer shared with that audience? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| the model examines a very large scale system and an entire brain structure. the focus of the project is on one particular aspect of auditory perception | relevant scientific community who intends to build/extend the model | by stating the clear goals of the model as well as stating benchmarks for comparing results against state of the art systems in a particular task | adequate |
5. Version control
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| adequate |
| Naming Conventions? | Repository? | Code Review? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| individual modeler | X | ||
| within the lab | X | ||
| collaborators | X |
6. Documentation
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level | |
|---|---|
| Code commented? | partial |
| Scope and intended use described? | partial |
| User’s guide? | partial |
| Developer’s guide? | partial |
7. Dissemination
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| partial |
| Target Audience(s): | “Inner circle” | Scientific community | Public |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simulations | https://engineering.jhu.edu/lcap/index.php?id=downloads | ||
| Models | https://engineering.jhu.edu/lcap/index.php?id=downloads | ||
| Software | |||
| Results | internal group discussions | publications | |
| Implications of results | internal group discussions | publications |
8. Independent reviews
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| adequate |
| Reviewer(s) name & affiliation: | |
|---|---|
| When was review performed? | |
| How was review performed and outcomes of the review? | code released so far has been in the context of peer-reviewed publications with identity of reviewers unknown. The code is publicly released on our website. |
9. Test competing implementations
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| partial |
| Yes or No (briefly summarize) | |
|---|---|
| Were competing implementations tested? | yes |
| Did this lead to model refinement or improvement? | yes |
10. Conform to standards
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| partial |
| Yes or No (briefly summarize) | |
|---|---|
| Are there operating procedures, guidelines, or standards for this type of multiscale modeling? | yes |
| How do your modeling efforts conform? |