Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine researchers are taking a deep look at the models by which the brain infers correct decisions. The graphic outlines, from left, interrelated variables in a simple statistical model, a neural network model with populations of neurons that capture the same structure, and a variant of the neural network collapsed into a more realistic overlapping configuration. All three images represent populations of neurons that hold specific models of the world. The researchers are working to untangle these networks to determine how the brain infers solutions to problems without being overwhelmed by data. Credit: Xaq Pitkow/Dora Angelaki