| | |
Summary: Nehvork4 (1993) 285-294. Printed in the UK
Propagation of excitation in neural network models
M A P Idiart and L F Abbott
Department of Physics and Center for Complex Systems, Brand& University. Waltham,
MA 02254, USA
Received26 April 1993
Abshct. We shldy the propagation of waves of excitation in neural network models.
Thmugh analytic calculation and computer simulation, we determine how the pmpagation
velocity depends w the range and strength of synaptic interadions, the firing threshold and
on transmission delays. For the models considered, the prapapatim velocity depends on either
the first or the second mment of the distribution hmction Chmderiziog the length af synaptic
interaCtiCms.
1. Introduction
Under certain circumstances. stimulation of cortical or hippocampal tissue can produce a
propagating wave of excitation [1]-[5]. Propagation velocities for such waves areof order
0.06 m s-' in cortical slices [Z]and 0.14 m s-l in hipwcampal slices 111. This is much
slower than the typical speed of action potential propagation along axons, which is more
l i e 0.5 m s-l 111. The wave velocity is determined largely by population effects and it
can be used to probe the nature of the connections between neurous [11-[51. However, to
extract this information we must understand how the propagation velocity depends on the
|
