Abstract. 
In this talk, we discuss the relationship between inhibition,
synchrony, and rhythmicity and various dynamical pathologies of the
central nervous system.  We first describe recent work on the
transition from working memory to seizure-like activity as the
inhibition between different areas is disrupted.   Firing rate models
that have a variety of slow processes such as facilitation and
adaptation are used to explain these pathologies.  Secondly, we
explore the role that gamma oscillations may play in working memory
and attention. In particular, we demonstrate how rhythmic activity
makes it easier to switch from one task to another. We explore how
this depends strongly on the effectiveness of NMDA receptors. We use
these ideas to connect the underlying biophysics to recent models for
schizophenia and obsessive compulsive disorder.