Neural Circuit Function Inference with LLMs

Researchers introduced LLantia, an automated method using large language models to infer neural circuit function from connectome data, and applied it to the adult fruit fly brain, inferring cell type functions for all cell types and validating findings against later literature. The method distills published cell type descriptions and combines them with the connectome to hierarchically organize possible circuit functions under behavioral and physiological contexts.

arXiv:2608.00059v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The success of connectome mapping now shifts the challenge of understanding the nervous system to the interpretation of neural circuits. Here, we devise a new automated method, LLantia LLM automated neural circuit inference and analysis , to systematically infer neural circuit function and the role of its component neural cell types. Our approach distills descriptions of cell type function from the literature and, in combination with the connectome, then infers the function for all other cell types, which serves as a basis for subsequent neural circuit function inference. Results are structured hierarchically, with different possible circuit functions organised under multiple possible behavioural and physiological contexts, and each circuit function composed of subcircuit descriptions alongside relevant cell types to facilitate both backtracking to known, published information and support further experimental research. We illustrate our method by inferring cell type function for all cell types of the adult fruit fly brain and for select broader circuits within, and validate our findings, including by cross-checking with literature published after the release date of our analysis.