From homeostasis to behavior: Balanced activity in an exploration of embodied dynamic environmental-neural interaction
Peter J. Hellyer, Claudia Clopath, Angie A. Kehagia, Federico Turkheimer, Robert Leech
PLoS Computational Biology August 24, 2017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005721 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Computational simulation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Embodied cognition Homeostatic plasticity Task project management Sensory system Artificial neural network Dynamics music Balance ability Metaplasticity Artificial intelligence |
| Citations | 21 |
| Key points | Local and global homeostatic plasticity mechanisms complementarily stabilize neural and behavioral dynamics in a simulated agent, with task-negative activity patterns playing a novel stabilizing role. |
Abstract
In recent years, there have been many computational simulations of spontaneous neural dynamics. Here, we describe a simple model of spontaneous neural dynamics that controls an agent moving in a simple virtual environment. These dynamics generate interesting brain-environment feedback interactions that rapidly destabilize neural and behavioral dynamics demonstrating the need for homeostatic mechanisms. We investigate roles for homeostatic plasticity both locally (local inhibition adjusting to balance excitatory input) as well as more globally (regional "task negative" activity that compensates for "task positive", sensory input in another region) balancing neural activity and leading to more stable behavior (trajectories through the environment). Our results suggest complementary functional roles for both local and macroscale mechanisms in maintaining neural and behavioral dynamics and a novel functional role for macroscopic "task-negative" patterns of activity (e.g., the default mode network).