A generic deviance detection principle for cortical On/Off responses, omission response, and mismatch negativity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience

Background:

• Neural responses to sudden changes occur across sensory pathways at multiple levels.
• Cortical deviance-related responses support various functions, likely from a common circuit due to uniform cortical wiring.
• Reciprocal wiring in the cortex suggests a generic principle for detecting changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a network model for a universal change detector based on reciprocal neural wiring.
• To investigate the mechanisms underlying cortical deviance detection, including disinhibition, synaptic adaptation, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-r) antagonist effects.

Main Methods:

• Development of a network model using reciprocally coupled neural masses.
• Simulation of the model to reproduce properties of cortical deviance-related responses.
• Analysis of network connection parameters, including disinhibition, synaptic adaptation, and NMDA-r antagonist effects.

Main Results:

• The proposed network model successfully reproduces On/Off responses, omitted-stimulus response (OSR), and mismatch negativity (MMN).
• Disinhibition is proposed as crucial for the emergence of change detectors.
• Synaptic adaptation supports change detection, while NMDA-r antagonists hinder it.

Conclusions:

• Cortical reciprocal wiring supports a generic deviance detection principle, giving rise to local change detectors.
• The network model provides a blueprint for universal change detection mechanisms.
• Testable predictions include that NMDA-r antagonists will dampen cortical Off responses, OSR, and MMN.