====== Brain Information Flow Diagram (BIF) ======
WBAI proposes the Brain Information Flow Diagram (BIF) as a format for describing and sharing the whole brain architecture (cf. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_flow_diagram|information flow diagram]]).



See also [[https://wba-initiative.org/wiki/en/brain_reference_architecture | Brain Reference Architecture (BRA)]]
==== Overview ====
BIF is composed of Circuits and Connections between them.
A Circuit corresponds to a population of neurons, an organ in the brain such as the hippocampus, or a circuit consisting of brain organs, to perform a certain function.\\  
{{:bif.fig.1.png?direct&600|BIF}}
==== The BIF Ontology ====
BIF elements are defined by an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology_(information_science)|ontology]] with the following classes and properties.\\  
Circuits and Connections are normally defined as classes rather than instances.\\  
(Click [[https://github.com/wbap/bifd/blob/master/bifd.owl|here]] for the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Ontology_Language|OWL]] format file of the BIF ontology.)
=== Circuit ===
A collection of one or more brain regions or organs with the following properties.
  * names: name list
  * hasPart: Circuits within
  * functionality: description of functions
  * reference: reference list
  * implementation: URLs (pointers to implementation)
  * uniform: truth value (true iff it has no sub-Circuit and unique output)
  * taxon : animal species (option)
=== UniformCircuit ===
A subclass of Circuit whose instance has unique output and no sub-Circuit
  * uniform: True
They have the following properties in addition to the properties of Circuit.
  * size: natural number (such as the number of neurons)
  * transmitter: neurotransmitter
  * modType: Excitatory, Inhibitory, Modulatory
=== Connection ===
Connections between Circuits with the following properties.
  * inputCircuit: a Circuit
  * outputCircuit: a Circuit
  * transmitter: neurotransmitter
  * functionality: description of function/semantics
  * reference: reference list
  * size: natural number (such as the number of axons)
  * taxon: animal species
=== NeuroTransmitter ===
Neurotransmitter: e.g., dopamine
==== Preparing BIF data ====
Please refer to [[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kKGJeG_NjuWqp7uUYvcb_uBiahj7KS_rKfhxtS4LP3c/edit?usp=sharing|the BIF data preparation manual]].