ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mathematical neuroscience

Mathematical neuroscience is all about using math to understand the brain and the way it works. You know how sometimes you play with blocks and you can build all sorts of cool things? Well, scientists use math to create models of the brain, just like building cool things with blocks.

The brain is really, really complicated, so math helps scientists make sense of all the different parts of the brain and how they work together. Kind of like how you organize your toys into different categories like blocks, dolls, and cars. When the scientists have all the different parts of the brain organized, they can start to understand how our thoughts and feelings happen.

We also know that the brain is made up of tiny cells called neurons, and scientists use math to understand how these neurons behave and communicate with each other. They use equations to describe the way neurons talk to one another, just like you might use a recipe to describe how to make a cake.

Overall, mathematical neuroscience is all about discovering more about the brain, how it functions and what it does. And by using math, scientists can make great discoveries and advance our understanding to help us learn more about mental health, diseases, and other important topics.