scholarly journals Information Transmission in Delay-Coupled Neuronal Circuits in the Presence of a Relay Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Sánchez-Claros ◽  
Aref Pariz ◽  
Alireza Valizadeh ◽  
Santiago Canals ◽  
Claudio R. Mirasso

Synchronization between neuronal populations is hypothesized to play a crucial role in the communication between brain networks. The binding of features, or the association of computations occurring in spatially segregated areas, is supposed to take place when a stable synchronization between cortical areas occurs. While a direct cortico-cortical connection typically fails to support this mechanism, the participation of a third area, a relay element, mediating in the communication was proposed to overcome this limitation. Among the different structures that could play the role of coordination during the binding process, the thalamus is the best placed region to carry out this task. In this paper we study how information flows in a canonical motif that mimics a cortico-thalamo-cortical circuit composed by three mutually coupled neuronal populations (also called the V-motif). Through extensive numerical simulations, we found that the amount of information transferred between the oscillating neuronal populations is determined by the delay in their connections and the mismatch in their oscillation frequencies (detuning). While the transmission from a cortical population is mostly restricted to positive detuning, transmission from the relay (thalamic) population to the cortical populations is robust for a broad range of detuning values, including negative values, while permitting feedback communication from the cortex at high frequencies, thus supporting robust bottom up and top down interaction. In this case, a strong feedback transmission between the cortex to thalamus supports the possibility of robust bottom-up and top-down interactions in this motif. Interestingly, adding a cortico-cortical bidirectional connection to the V-motif (C-motif) expands the dynamics of the system with distinct operation modes. While overall transmission efficiency is decreased, new communication channels establish cortico-thalamo-cortical association loops. Switching between operation modes depends on the synaptic strength of the cortico-cortical connections. Our results support a role of the transthalamic V-motif in the binding of spatially segregated cortical computations, and suggest an important regulatory role of the direct cortico-cortical connection.

2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 709-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yann Thibaudier ◽  
Marie-France Hurteau

Propriospinal pathways are thought to be critical for quadrupedal coordination by coupling cervical and lumbar central pattern generators (CPGs). However, the mechanisms involved in relaying information between girdles remain largely unexplored. Using an in vitro spinal cord preparation in neonatal rats, Juvin and colleagues ( Juvin et al. 2012 ) have recently shown sensory inputs from the hindlimbs have greater influence on forelimb CPGs than forelimb sensory inputs on hindlimb CPGs, in other words, a bottom-up control system. However, results from decerebrate cats suggest a top-down control system. It may be that both bottom-up and top-down control systems exist and that the dominance of one over the other is task or context dependent. As such, the role of sensory inputs in controlling quadrupedal coordination before and after injury requires further investigation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 178-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fátima Vaz-Pinto ◽  
Celia Olabarria ◽  
Francisco Arenas
Keyword(s):  
Top Down ◽  

Author(s):  
Andreas Heinz

Psychotic experiences may best be described as an alteration in the self-ascription of thoughts and actions, which is associated with a profoundly altered experience of oneself and the surrounding world. Computational models of key symptoms of psychiatric disorders are discussed with respect to the attribution of salience and self-relatedness to otherwise irrelevant stimuli and the role of top-down modelling in the generation of delusions. Top-down and bottom-up approaches in understanding mental disorders and their computational models are compared and critically reflected.


Author(s):  
Tony Chasteauneuf ◽  
Tony Thornton ◽  
Dean Pallant

This chapter discusses the role of the third sector working with the hard and soft structures of public–private partnerships to promote healthier individuals and communities. It considers how a recommitment to the 'local authority' of citizens and beneficiaries offers the possibility of revitalised and healthier individuals and reinvigorated and healthier communities, which are unachievable through the hard and soft structures of the commissioner/provider statutory approach. The chapter then identifies the pivotal dynamic of one-to-one relationships in these processes and their association with health outcomes (emotional, physical, and spiritual) alongside the opportunities and challenges in agencies engaging/re-engaging with the agency of citizens and beneficiaries. It explores the tension between the 'agency' of citizens and beneficiaries that constitutes bottom-up power and 'agencies' with top-down power. The chapter also looks at the benefits of embracing the expertise and investment of individuals and their communities in their personal and shared lives, how this can be supported and how it can be undermined.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 866-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chu Chen ◽  
Sukjoon Yoon

This research examined the relationships among tourism, well-being, and novelty-seeking as a personality trait based on the top–down and bottom–up theories of well-being. A structural model that includes a direct effect of novelty-seeking on life satisfaction (top–down influence) and an indirect effect through tourism experiences (bottom–up influence) were proposed and tested using a sample of 556 American residents. Results showed that novelty-seekers were well aware of travel benefits and traveled more frequently. It was also found that the top–down influence of novelty-seeking on life satisfaction was significantly greater than the bottom–up influence. These findings highlight the crucial role of personality as a predictor of well-being as well as the importance of applying positive psychology principles to further enhance the potential contribution of tourism experiences to tourists’ well-being.


2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-224
Author(s):  
Schirin Fathi

Abstract This paper aims to trace the development of women’s political participation in Jordan and the efforts exerted in a top-down and bottom-up approach towards gender equality. Special consideration is accorded to the constitution, in its function as a social contract mirroring societal developments and the role of the monarchy and its available tools to influence decisions and nudge societal development in ways deemed necessary. At the same time the constraints imposed on Jordan due to its special circumstances are pinpointed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
pp. 3266-3272
Author(s):  
Maddalena Boccia ◽  
Paola Guariglia ◽  
Laura Piccardi ◽  
Giulia De Martino ◽  
Anna Maria Giannini

Abstract Esthetic experience is the result of the coordination of different cognitive processes. It has been widely reported that top-down processes of orienting of attention interact with bottom-up perceptual facilitation occurring during esthetic experience of artworks. Here we use whole-part ambiguity as a tool to test the effect of global and local prime on esthetic appreciation of complex visual artworks. To this aim 139 healthy young individuals completed an esthetic judgment of Arcimboldo’s ambiguous artworks, which were preceded by a local or global prime. Their perceptual style was also assessed using a Navon task. We found that local prime significantly enhanced esthetic appreciation of ambiguous portraits. Also, we found that prime level interacted with individual’s perceptual style: participants showing local perceptual style liked less ambiguous portraits when they were preceded by global prime. Overall, the present findings shed some light on the processes involved in esthetic experience, pointing towards a pivotal role of re-direction of attention towards perceptual features of the artworks and its interaction with individual factors, such as perceptual style.


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