Extended Neural Metastability in an Embodied Model of Sensorimotor Coupling

Area of Science:

• Computational Neuroscience
• Robotics
• Cognitive Science
• Embodied Cognition

Background:

• Neuroscience often focuses on brain mechanisms (metastable synchronization) in isolation.
• The role of the body and environment in neural metastability is frequently overlooked.
• Understanding brain function requires considering its interaction with the external world.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how sensorimotor coupling influences neural and behavioral metastability.
• To explore if metastability extends beyond the brain to the brain-body-environment system.
• To model a robotic agent in a behavioral preference task to test these hypotheses.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a minimal computational model of plastic neural ensembles in a robotic agent.
• Compared an agent in continuous environmental interaction with an 'internalist' model.
• Employed statistical characterization and information theory tools for analysis.

Main Results:

• Bidirectional agent-environment coupling promotes criticality and emergent metastable states.
• These extended metastable states involve the entire sensorimotor interaction system, not just the brain.
• Synaptic plasticity is crucial for flexible engagement/disengagement of behavioral patterns supporting metastability.

Conclusions:

• Metastability is not confined to the brain but can extend to the brain-body-environment system.
• Autonomous agents exhibit extended metastability through asymmetrical causal interaction loops with their environment.
• Results support embodied cognition theories and highlight the importance of sensorimotor coupling in neuroscience.