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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
05:19
Using Neuron Spiking Activity to Trigger Closed-Loop Stimuli in Neurophysiological Experiments
Published on: November 12, 2019
Dynamical relaying can yield zero time lag neuronal synchrony despite long conduction delays
Raul Vicente1, Leonardo L Gollo, Claudio R Mirasso
1Department of Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Deutschordenstrasse 46, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany.
Summary
Brain regions synchronize instantly despite long nerve signal delays. Specific neural circuits, like cortico-cortical fibers, enable this lag-free brain activity, challenging previous understandings of neural communication.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- Multielectrode recordings show zero time lag synchronization between distant cerebral cortical areas.
- Axonal conduction delays in the brain can reach tens of milliseconds, posing a challenge to understanding rapid synchronization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism behind isochronous discharge of widely distributed neurons despite axonal conduction delays.
- To analyze the synchronization properties of a simple network motif in the presence of significant time lags.
Main Methods:
- Simulated a simple neural network motif.
- Incorporated axonal conduction delays into the network model.
- Analyzed the emergent synchronization properties of neuronal populations.
Main Results:
- Distant neuronal populations self-organized into lag-free oscillations, even with substantial axonal conduction delays.
- Cortico-cortical association fibers and cortico-thalamo-cortical loops were identified as potential circuits that facilitate this synchronization.
- The findings suggest a mechanism for overcoming phase shifts and time lags inherent in neural signal transmission.
Conclusions:
- Neural network motifs can generate synchronized activity without time lag, irrespective of conduction delays.
- Specific anatomical pathways, such as association fibers and thalamo-cortical loops, play a crucial role in achieving rapid, widespread neural synchronization.
- This research provides insights into the principles governing large-scale brain coordination and information processing.
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