BRIDGE: A Computational Workflow from Single Neurons to Network of Mean-Field Models
Mean-field models are extensively used in large-scale brain simulations because they provide a wieldy description of population dynamics while preserving key features of neural activity. Despite their widespread adoption, no common and reproducible methodology currently exists to systematically derive and validate mean-field models starting from biologically grounded single neuron dynamics. As a result, implementations are often ad hoc, difficult to reproduce and rarely reusable. Here we introduce BRIDGE, a modular, open-source Python pipeline that enables the bottom-up reconstruction, analysis, validation, and simulation of mean-field models from single neurons. The framework integrates single neurons modelling, network simulations, extraction of population statistics, parameters analysis, quantitative comparisons between spiking neural networks and corresponding mean-field representations, and simulation of network of mean-fields. Its flexible architecture allows users to incorporate different neuron models and to generate region-specific or state-dependent mean-field formulations. BRIDGE provides a reproducible foundation for developing biologically informed mean-field models suitable for large-scale and whole-brain simulations, supporting the transition from generic homogeneous population models toward region-specific ones. Graphical abstract