Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder in neuronal networks with adaptation

Area of Science:

• Computational neuroscience
• Neural dynamics

Background:

• Spike frequency adaptation influences neuronal network behavior.
• Understanding neural network dynamics is crucial for neurological disorder research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of neuronal networks with linear versus nonlinear spike frequency adaptation.
• To explore how synaptic connection strength affects network activity and its relation to hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Simulating neuronal networks with different adaptation functions (linear vs. nonlinear).
• Analyzing network responses to spatially homogeneous flickering and moving stimuli.
• Investigating instabilities of stimulus-driven traveling pulse solutions.

Main Results:

• Altering synaptic connection strength can induce spatially structured activity resembling HPPD symptoms.
• Neuronal networks encode flickering stimuli continuously at lower frequencies with net excitation.
• Traveling breathers, potential neural substrates for visual trails, arise in response to moving inputs beyond a critical speed.

Conclusions:

• Neuronal network dynamics, particularly with modulated synaptic connectivity, can exhibit phenomena akin to visual trailing seen in HPPD.
• The study provides insights into potential neural mechanisms underlying visual disturbances in neurological conditions.