Abstract
Neural synchronization is believed to play an important role in different brain functions. Synchrony in cortical and subcortical circuits is frequently variable in time and not perfect. Few long intervals of desynchronized dynamics may be functionally different from many short desynchronized intervals although the average synchrony may be the same. Recent analysis of imperfect synchrony in different neural systems reported one common feature: neural oscillations may go out of synchrony frequently, but primarily for a short time interval. This study explores potential mechanisms and functional advantages of this short desynchronizations dynamics using computational neuroscience techniques. We show that short desynchronizations are exhibited in coupled neurons if their delayed rectifier potassium current has relatively large values of the voltage-dependent activation time-constant. The delayed activation of potassium current is associated with generation of quickly-rising action potential. This “spikiness” is a very general property of neurons. This may explain why very different neural systems exhibit short desynchronization dynamics. We also show how the distribution of desynchronization durations may be independent of the synchronization strength. Finally, we show that short desynchronization dynamics requires weaker synaptic input to reach a pre-set synchrony level. Thus, this dynamics allows for efficient regulation of synchrony and may promote efficient formation of synchronous neural assemblies.
Highlights
Synchrony of neural oscillations is believed to play important role in a variety of functions of the brain (e.g., Buzsáki and Draguhn, 2004; Colgin, 2011; Fell and Axmacher, 2011; Buzsáki and Schomburg, 2015; Fries, 2015; Harris and Gordon, 2015)
We will study the dynamics of coupled model neurons as we vary parameters of potassium current
New time-series analysis techniques showed that intervals of synchronous dynamics are interspersed between desynchronized episodes, and most desynchronized episodes are very short
Summary
Synchrony of neural oscillations is believed to play important role in a variety of functions of the brain (e.g., Buzsáki and Draguhn, 2004; Colgin, 2011; Fell and Axmacher, 2011; Buzsáki and Schomburg, 2015; Fries, 2015; Harris and Gordon, 2015). Organized (too excessive or too weak) synchrony is associated with several neurological and neuropsychiatric dysfunctions (e.g., Schnitzler and Gross, 2005; Uhlhaas and Singer, 2006, 2010; Oswal et al, 2013; PittmanPolletta et al, 2015; Spellman and Gordon, 2015). The synchrony in cortical and subcortical circuits may not necessarily stay perfect for a prolong intervals of time (if it can be perfect at all). Even in the idling dynamics of neural circuits of the brain prolonged perfect synchrony is rarely (if at all) reported
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