Olivier Codol
@oliviercodol.bsky.social
Neuroscience, RL for motor learning, neural control of movement, NeuroAI.
Opinions stated here are my own, not those of my employer.
Opinions stated here are my own, not those of my employer.
Pinned
Brain-like neural dynamics for behavioral control develop through reinforcement learning
During development, neural circuits are shaped continuously as we learn to control our bodies. The ultimate goal of this process is to produce neural dynamics that enable the rich repertoire of behavi...
www.biorxiv.org
Here’s our latest work at @glajoie.bsky.social and @mattperich.bsky.social ‘s labs! Excited to see this out.
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Olivier Codol
For those going to @ncmsociety.bsky.social annual meeting next week, come check out our posters! @diedrichsenjorn.bsky.social @gribblelab.org. I know that @mnlmrc.bsky.social @sivanjo.bsky.social @alighavampour.bsky.social @arminpanjehpour.bsky.social and Amin are excited show you what they've done.
April 13, 2026 at 12:17 PM
For those going to @ncmsociety.bsky.social annual meeting next week, come check out our posters! @diedrichsenjorn.bsky.social @gribblelab.org. I know that @mnlmrc.bsky.social @sivanjo.bsky.social @alighavampour.bsky.social @arminpanjehpour.bsky.social and Amin are excited show you what they've done.
Reposted by Olivier Codol
What are the real promises and looming perils of neural foundation models? 🧠
I put my thoughts on (virtual) paper for @thetransmitter.bsky.social following a very energised workshop at @cosynemeeting.bsky.social 2025.
It's also my first piece for them 😊
I put my thoughts on (virtual) paper for @thetransmitter.bsky.social following a very energised workshop at @cosynemeeting.bsky.social 2025.
It's also my first piece for them 😊
These models can partly generalize across species, brain regions and tasks, suggesting that a set of machine-learnable rules govern neural population activity, writes @juangallego.bsky.social. But will we be able to understand them? #neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroai/why-...
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroai/why-...
Why neural foundation models work, and what they might—and might not—teach us about the brain
These models can partly generalize across species, brain regions and tasks, suggesting that a set of machine-learnable rules govern neural population activity. But will we be able to understand them?
www.thetransmitter.org
April 14, 2026 at 1:33 PM
What are the real promises and looming perils of neural foundation models? 🧠
I put my thoughts on (virtual) paper for @thetransmitter.bsky.social following a very energised workshop at @cosynemeeting.bsky.social 2025.
It's also my first piece for them 😊
I put my thoughts on (virtual) paper for @thetransmitter.bsky.social following a very energised workshop at @cosynemeeting.bsky.social 2025.
It's also my first piece for them 😊
Reposted by Olivier Codol
How do neural circuits in the brain implement normalization? 🧠
In our new paper, we show that just normalizing sensory input isn't enough. Crucially, we must also normalize the error signals! 🧵👇
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2603.17676
In our new paper, we show that just normalizing sensory input isn't enough. Crucially, we must also normalize the error signals! 🧵👇
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2603.17676
Inhibitory normalization of error signals improves learning in neural circuits
Normalization is a critical operation in neural circuits. In the brain, there is evidence that normalization is implemented via inhibitory interneurons and allows neural populations to adjust to chang...
arxiv.org
March 19, 2026 at 3:27 PM
How do neural circuits in the brain implement normalization? 🧠
In our new paper, we show that just normalizing sensory input isn't enough. Crucially, we must also normalize the error signals! 🧵👇
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2603.17676
In our new paper, we show that just normalizing sensory input isn't enough. Crucially, we must also normalize the error signals! 🧵👇
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2603.17676
Reposted by Olivier Codol
New paper! We introduce JEDI, Jointly Embedded Dynamics Inference for neural dynamics.
arxiv.org/abs/2603.10489. JEDI flexibly infers dynamical principles (across behaviors/contexts) from neural population data through RNNs constrained at single-neuron resolution to reproduce that data.
arxiv.org/abs/2603.10489. JEDI flexibly infers dynamical principles (across behaviors/contexts) from neural population data through RNNs constrained at single-neuron resolution to reproduce that data.
JEDI: Jointly Embedded Inference of Neural Dynamics
Animal brains flexibly and efficiently achieve many behavioral tasks with a single neural network. A core goal in modern neuroscience is to map the mechanisms of the brain's flexibility onto the dynam...
arxiv.org
March 17, 2026 at 5:02 PM
New paper! We introduce JEDI, Jointly Embedded Dynamics Inference for neural dynamics.
arxiv.org/abs/2603.10489. JEDI flexibly infers dynamical principles (across behaviors/contexts) from neural population data through RNNs constrained at single-neuron resolution to reproduce that data.
arxiv.org/abs/2603.10489. JEDI flexibly infers dynamical principles (across behaviors/contexts) from neural population data through RNNs constrained at single-neuron resolution to reproduce that data.
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Excited to be at #Cosyne2026! I'll be presenting my poster tomorrow during the Thursday session: [1-106] “A biologically inspired predictive coding algorithm with multiplicative and additive feedback”. With @colin-bredenberg.bsky.social and @tyrellturing.bsky.social
March 11, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Excited to be at #Cosyne2026! I'll be presenting my poster tomorrow during the Thursday session: [1-106] “A biologically inspired predictive coding algorithm with multiplicative and additive feedback”. With @colin-bredenberg.bsky.social and @tyrellturing.bsky.social
Reposted by Olivier Codol
New paper hot off the (pre-)press! We dig into the evolutionary origins of neural computations for behavioral control across mice, monkeys, and humans: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6....
As our lab's first foray into comparative analysis of neural dynamics, I’m super excited about this work! 1/18
As our lab's first foray into comparative analysis of neural dynamics, I’m super excited about this work! 1/18
March 10, 2026 at 5:43 PM
New paper hot off the (pre-)press! We dig into the evolutionary origins of neural computations for behavioral control across mice, monkeys, and humans: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6....
As our lab's first foray into comparative analysis of neural dynamics, I’m super excited about this work! 1/18
As our lab's first foray into comparative analysis of neural dynamics, I’m super excited about this work! 1/18
Reposted by Olivier Codol
I want to write a fun little post on what we've learned in neuroscience in the last 20 years. What are the most interesting results you can think of? Biggest trends?
March 8, 2026 at 1:17 AM
I want to write a fun little post on what we've learned in neuroscience in the last 20 years. What are the most interesting results you can think of? Biggest trends?
Reposted by Olivier Codol
New paper out in Nature Communications about how object identity information evolves across sensorimotor cortex through grasp — and I am really happy with how it turned out. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evolution of object identity information in sensorimotor cortex throughout grasp - Nature Communications
How the brain maintains object representations during grasping, when complex sensory input rapidly changes, remains poorly understood. Here the authors show that object-identity signals shift and stre...
www.nature.com
March 5, 2026 at 4:34 PM
New paper out in Nature Communications about how object identity information evolves across sensorimotor cortex through grasp — and I am really happy with how it turned out. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Olivier Codol
The Neural Control and Computation Lab is seeking a skilled part-time software engineer in Toronto to lead the development of ATHENA (Automatically Tracking Hands Expertly with No Annotations), our open-source, Python-based toolbox for 3D markerless tracking!
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca
January 13, 2026 at 2:52 PM
The Neural Control and Computation Lab is seeking a skilled part-time software engineer in Toronto to lead the development of ATHENA (Automatically Tracking Hands Expertly with No Annotations), our open-source, Python-based toolbox for 3D markerless tracking!
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
www.yorku.ca/health/resea...
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Why motor learning involves multiple systems: an algorithmic perspective https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695526v1
December 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Why motor learning involves multiple systems: an algorithmic perspective https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695526v1
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Great to see this paper on sensory expectations in motor control from @jonathanamichaels.bsky.social and @andpru.bsky.social out in Nature today!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
Sensory expectations shape neural population dynamics in motor circuits - Nature
Experiments with human volunteers and macaques show that expectations produced by probabilistic cueing of future sensory inputs shape motor circuit dynamics in order to increase the efficiency of move...
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Great to see this paper on sensory expectations in motor control from @jonathanamichaels.bsky.social and @andpru.bsky.social out in Nature today!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience 🧪
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Join us for Fall 2026. In our group, you can run studies from human behavior and neuroimaging, to large-scale NHP ephys, and join them up with a robust computational foundation. Bonus: you can help build the reading list.
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Diedrichsenlab
diedrichsenlab.org
December 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Join us for Fall 2026. In our group, you can run studies from human behavior and neuroimaging, to large-scale NHP ephys, and join them up with a robust computational foundation. Bonus: you can help build the reading list.
Reposted by Olivier Codol
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Diedrichsenlab
diedrichsenlab.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:50 PM
The Sensorimotor Superlab with @gribblelab.org and @andpru.bsky.social is a unique place to work and learn. We are now accepting MSc and PhD applications for Fall 2026. Join our awesome team at Western University... For application instructions see diedrichsenlab.org and gribblelab.org/join.html!
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Come share your passion about motor control, sensory systems, neurophysiology, neurotechnology, and more at #NCMKobe26 !!
NCM is proud of the Meeting support program offered again for #NCMKobe26.
Learn more if you're a student, early-career scientist, or faculty who’s been underrepresented in the field.
Support is available for meeting travel + participation.
Details: ncm-society.org/dive...
Learn more if you're a student, early-career scientist, or faculty who’s been underrepresented in the field.
Support is available for meeting travel + participation.
Details: ncm-society.org/dive...
November 13, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Come share your passion about motor control, sensory systems, neurophysiology, neurotechnology, and more at #NCMKobe26 !!
Happy to announce that as of this summer, I've joined the CTRL-Labs group at Meta Reality Labs as a Research Scientist! I've also relocated to the bustling city of New York, where I hope I can do my best work (and enjoy running in Central Park).
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Happy to announce that as of this summer, I've joined the CTRL-Labs group at Meta Reality Labs as a Research Scientist! I've also relocated to the bustling city of New York, where I hope I can do my best work (and enjoy running in Central Park).
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Our next paper on comparing dynamical systems (with special interest to artificial and biological neural networks) is out!! Joint work with @annhuang42.bsky.social , as well as @satpreetsingh.bsky.social , @leokoz8.bsky.social , Ila Fiete, and @kanakarajanphd.bsky.social : arxiv.org/pdf/2510.25943
November 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Our next paper on comparing dynamical systems (with special interest to artificial and biological neural networks) is out!! Joint work with @annhuang42.bsky.social , as well as @satpreetsingh.bsky.social , @leokoz8.bsky.social , Ila Fiete, and @kanakarajanphd.bsky.social : arxiv.org/pdf/2510.25943
Reposted by Olivier Codol
🚨🚨 We're hiring !! Looking for postdoc? Come work in an international, collaborative and stimulating environment on mechanisms of human upper limb motor control
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
Postdoc Position on Systems Neuroscience, Motor Control at UCLouvain, Belgium
Project Title: Multi-disciplinary, multi-lab investigations of the neural bases of human sensorimotor control Project Description:
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
November 10, 2025 at 10:31 AM
🚨🚨 We're hiring !! Looking for postdoc? Come work in an international, collaborative and stimulating environment on mechanisms of human upper limb motor control
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
👇👇👇
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/386645
Reposted by Olivier Codol
A very nice contribution to the field, adding more evidence on how our expectations and goals shape upcoming motor commands.
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Thrilled that our paper is out today in Nature!
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
www.nature.com/articles/s4...
Sensory expectations shape neural population dynamics in motor circuits
Nature - Experiments with human volunteers and macaques show that expectations produced by probabilistic cueing of future sensory inputs shape motor circuit dynamics in order to increase the...
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
A very nice contribution to the field, adding more evidence on how our expectations and goals shape upcoming motor commands.
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Congrats to the wonderful team!
Reposted by Olivier Codol
I’m looking for interns to join our lab for a project on foundation models in neuroscience.
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
AI and Neuroscience | IVADO
ivado.ca
November 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I’m looking for interns to join our lab for a project on foundation models in neuroscience.
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Funded by @ivado.bsky.social and in collaboration with the IVADO regroupement 1 (AI and Neuroscience: ivado.ca/en/regroupem...).
Interested? See the details in the comments. (1/3)
🧠🤖
Reposted by Olivier Codol
If you're interested in dynamical systems analysis for neuroscience, definitely check out @oliviercodol.bsky.social 's revised version of our RL paper! Very cool results in the new Fig 6, worth it regardless of if you saw our previous version or if it's all new.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
If you're interested in dynamical systems analysis for neuroscience, definitely check out @oliviercodol.bsky.social 's revised version of our RL paper! Very cool results in the new Fig 6, worth it regardless of if you saw our previous version or if it's all new.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A tad late (announcements coming) but very happy to share the latest developments in my previous preprint!
Previously, we show that neural representations for control of movement are largely distinct following supervised or reinforcement learning. The latter most closely matches NHP recordings.
Previously, we show that neural representations for control of movement are largely distinct following supervised or reinforcement learning. The latter most closely matches NHP recordings.
Here’s our latest work at @glajoie.bsky.social and @mattperich.bsky.social ‘s labs! Excited to see this out.
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used a combination of neural recordings & modelling to show that RL yields neural dynamics closer to biology, with useful continual learning properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brain-like neural dynamics for behavioral control develop through reinforcement learning
During development, neural circuits are shaped continuously as we learn to control our bodies. The ultimate goal of this process is to produce neural dynamics that enable the rich repertoire of behavi...
www.biorxiv.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:10 AM
A tad late (announcements coming) but very happy to share the latest developments in my previous preprint!
Previously, we show that neural representations for control of movement are largely distinct following supervised or reinforcement learning. The latter most closely matches NHP recordings.
Previously, we show that neural representations for control of movement are largely distinct following supervised or reinforcement learning. The latter most closely matches NHP recordings.
Reposted by Olivier Codol
Western study reveals brain’s predictive power.
Researchers find neurons don’t wait for challenges to arise, they plan how to react. news.westernu.ca/2025/10/sens... #CdnPSE @westernu.ca
Researchers find neurons don’t wait for challenges to arise, they plan how to react. news.westernu.ca/2025/10/sens... #CdnPSE @westernu.ca
Study reveals brain’s predictive power
New study reveals that we rely on sensory expectations to get prepared for unexpected disturbances, helping us react faster and more accurately.
news.westernu.ca
November 3, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Western study reveals brain’s predictive power.
Researchers find neurons don’t wait for challenges to arise, they plan how to react. news.westernu.ca/2025/10/sens... #CdnPSE @westernu.ca
Researchers find neurons don’t wait for challenges to arise, they plan how to react. news.westernu.ca/2025/10/sens... #CdnPSE @westernu.ca
Reposted by Olivier Codol
🚨Job alert🚨
The lab has up to *3 postdoc openings* for comp systems neuroscientists interested in describing and manipulating neural population dynamics mediating behaviour
This is part of a collaborative ARIA grant "4D precision control of cortical dynamics"
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/383909
The lab has up to *3 postdoc openings* for comp systems neuroscientists interested in describing and manipulating neural population dynamics mediating behaviour
This is part of a collaborative ARIA grant "4D precision control of cortical dynamics"
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/383909
3 Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Champalimaud Foundation (Fundação D. Anna de Sommer Champalimaud e Dr.
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
November 4, 2025 at 5:11 PM
🚨Job alert🚨
The lab has up to *3 postdoc openings* for comp systems neuroscientists interested in describing and manipulating neural population dynamics mediating behaviour
This is part of a collaborative ARIA grant "4D precision control of cortical dynamics"
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/383909
The lab has up to *3 postdoc openings* for comp systems neuroscientists interested in describing and manipulating neural population dynamics mediating behaviour
This is part of a collaborative ARIA grant "4D precision control of cortical dynamics"
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/383909
Reposted by Olivier Codol
What are the salient aspect of the LLM RL problem that could be abstracted into a benchmark? Tremendously large action space, sensitivity to numerical precision, prior policy that you must remain close to, what else?
November 4, 2025 at 3:39 PM
What are the salient aspect of the LLM RL problem that could be abstracted into a benchmark? Tremendously large action space, sensitivity to numerical precision, prior policy that you must remain close to, what else?