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Published on: November 11, 2017
Spike-based synaptic plasticity and the emergence of direction selective simple cells: mathematical analysis
1Physiological Institute, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. wsenn@cns.unibe.ch
Journal of Computational Neuroscience
|February 5, 2003
Summary
This study demonstrates how synaptic plasticity and depression shape neural responses, explaining the development of direction selectivity (DS) in the visual system. Our model replicates key experimental findings on frequency tuning and RF development.
Area of Science:
- Computational Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Simple cell direction selectivity (DS) is a fundamental visual processing computation.
- Spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) and synaptic depression are key neural mechanisms.
- Previous models have explored STDP's role in DS development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the spatial receptive field (RF) shifts and temporal phase advances caused by synaptic plasticity and depression.
- To explain the development of DS from non-directional cells in unbiased stimulation.
- To reproduce frequency tuning curves of simple cells using analytical expressions.
Main Methods:
- Extended simulations of neural network models.
- Analytical modeling of spatial RF shifts and temporal phase advances.
- Analysis of frequency tuning curves and DS development.
Main Results:
- Synaptic plasticity induces spatial RF shifts, while depression causes temporal phase advances.
- The model qualitatively reproduces non-directional and directional simple cell frequency tuning.
- Optimal DS is observed for temporal frequencies around 1-4 Hz, determined by learning function width and depression time course.
- The model explains the emergence of DS from initially symmetric RFs.
Conclusions:
- Synaptic plasticity and depression provide a unified mechanism for DS development.
- The model's predictions align with in vivo recordings of simple cell responses.
- The study offers a formal explanation for DS emergence in naturalistic visual environments.
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