Spatially structured oscillations in a two-dimensional excitatory neuronal network with synaptic depression

J Comput Neurosci. 2010 Apr;28(2):193-209. doi: 10.1007/s10827-009-0199-6. Epub 2009 Oct 29.

Abstract

We study the spatiotemporal dynamics of a two-dimensional excitatory neuronal network with synaptic depression. Coupling between populations of neurons is taken to be nonlocal, while depression is taken to be local and presynaptic. We show that the network supports a wide range of spatially structured oscillations, which are suggestive of phenomena seen in cortical slice experiments and in vivo. The particular form of the oscillations depends on initial conditions and the level of background noise. Given an initial, spatially localized stimulus, activity evolves to a spatially localized oscillating core that periodically emits target waves. Low levels of noise can spontaneously generate several pockets of oscillatory activity that interact via their target patterns. Periodic activity in space can also organize into spiral waves, provided that there is some source of rotational symmetry breaking due to external stimuli or noise. In the high gain limit, no oscillatory behavior exists, but a transient stimulus can lead to a single, outward propagating target wave.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Biological Clocks / physiology*
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression / physiology*
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Nerve Net / physiology*
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology