Criticality at work: scaling in the mouse cortex enhances performance
The critical brain hypothesis posits that neural systems operate near a phase transition, optimising the transmission, storage, and processing of information. While scale invariance and non-Gaussian dynamics - hallmarks of criticality - have been observed in brain activity, a direct link between cri...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
30-10-2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | The critical brain hypothesis posits that neural systems operate near a phase
transition, optimising the transmission, storage, and processing of
information. While scale invariance and non-Gaussian dynamics - hallmarks of
criticality - have been observed in brain activity, a direct link between
criticality and behavioural performance remains unexplored. Here, we use a
phenomenological renormalisation group (PRG) approach to examine neuronal
activity in the primary visual cortex of mice performing a visual recognition
task. We show that non-trivial scaling in neuronal activity is associated with
enhanced task performance, with pronounced scaling observed during successful
task completion. When rewards were removed or non-natural stimuli presented,
these scaling signatures diminished. These results suggest that critical
dynamics in the brain may be crucial for optimising behavioural outcomes,
offering new insights into the functional role of criticality in cortical
processing. |
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| DOI: | 10.48550/arxiv.2410.23508 |