this study was supported by the intramural research program of the national institute of mental health ( ziamh002797 ) .
abstracttheoretical approaches based on dynamical systems theory can provide useful frameworks to guide experiments and analysis techniques when investigating cortical network activity . 
 the notion of phase transitions between qualitatively different kinds of network dynamics has been such a framework inspiring novel approaches to neurophysiological data analysis over the recent years . 
 one particular intriguing hypothesis has been that cortical networks reside in the vicinity of a phase transition . 
 although the final verdict on this hypothesis is still out , trying to understand cortex dynamics from this viewpoint has recently led to interesting insights on cortical network function with relevance for clinical practice .