Oscillation, Conduction Delays, and Learning Cooperate to Establish Neural Competition in Recurrent Networks

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 3;11(2):e0146044. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146044. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Specific memory might be stored in a subnetwork consisting of a small population of neurons. To select neurons involved in memory formation, neural competition might be essential. In this paper, we show that excitable neurons are competitive and organize into two assemblies in a recurrent network with spike timing-dependent synaptic plasticity (STDP) and axonal conduction delays. Neural competition is established by the cooperation of spontaneously induced neural oscillation, axonal conduction delays, and STDP. We also suggest that the competition mechanism in this paper is one of the basic functions required to organize memory-storing subnetworks into fine-scale cortical networks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Learning / physiology
  • Memory / physiology
  • Models, Neurological
  • Nerve Net / physiology*
  • Neural Conduction / physiology
  • Neural Networks, Computer
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Oscillometry
  • Synapses

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Research Fellowships of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 22-8144) (HK), Grant-in-Aids for Challenging Exploratory Research (No. 24650116) and Grant-in-Aids for Scientific Research (C) (Generative Research Fields) (No. 15KT0112) (TI), http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.