Neuroinformatics: Indian perspective

Current conception of information in terms of bits cannot accommodate the holistic nature of perceptual information. Category theory, which describes mathematical objects in terms of their relations to other objects, appears to be resourceful enough to capture the holistic nature of perception and memory. Recognizing the potential of category theory, National Brain Research Centre, India, has initiated a research program to bring category theory and higher dimensional algebra to bear on brain research. I will discuss a memory model called Form-Addressed Memory that we are developing. In this model, percepts and memories are modeled in terms of arrows f:A→B, an indivisible whole in category theory. I will also present the work of various Indian scientists: non-classical information theoretic analysis of sensory systems, applying stochastic resonance to neuroimaging and pattern recognition tools to neuroanatomical data, development of federated databases, and plans for databasing drug metabolism pathways and neuroactive drugs from Indian traditional medicine.