Balanced activation in a simple embodied neural simulation
Peter J. Hellyer, Claudia Clopath, Angie A. Kehagia, Federico E. Turkheimer, Robert Leech
arXiv Preprint Archive June 11, 2016 preprint
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Computational modeling study |
|---|---|
| Population | Virtual agent moving in a simple simulated environment |
| Keywords | Q-bio.nc |
| Key points | Brain-environment feedback in a simulated agent rapidly destabilized neural and behavioral dynamics, motivating homeostatic regulation. The authors report that local homeostatic plasticity (local inhibition adjusting to balance excitation) and macroscopic task-negative activity (compensating for task-positive sensory input) have complementary roles in maintaining neural activity and behavior. They propose a novel functional role for macroscopic task-negative patterns such as the default mode network. |
Abstract
In recent years, there have been many computational simulations of spontaneous neural dynamics. Here, we explore a model of spontaneous neural dynamics and allow it to control a virtual agent moving in a simple environment. This setup generates interesting brain-environment feedback interactions that rapidly destabilize neural and behavioral dynamics and suggest the need for homeostatic mechanisms. We investigate roles for both local homeostatic plasticity (local inhibition adjusting over time to balance excitatory input) as well as macroscopic task negative activity (that compensates for task positive, sensory input) in regulating both neural activity and resulting behavior (trajectories through the environment). Our results suggest complementary functional roles for both local homeostatic plasticity and balanced activity across brain regions in maintaining neural and behavioral dynamics. These findings suggest important functional roles for homeostatic systems in maintaining neural and behavioral dynamics and suggest a novel functional role for frequently reported macroscopic task-negative patterns of activity (e.g., the default mode network).