scholarly journals Self-Organization Toward Criticality by Synaptic Plasticity

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxana Zeraati ◽  
Viola Priesemann ◽  
Anna Levina
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Neural Recordings ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Universal Mechanism

Self-organized criticality has been proposed to be a universal mechanism for the emergence of scale-free dynamics in many complex systems, and possibly in the brain. While such scale-free patterns were identified experimentally in many different types of neural recordings, the biological principles behind their emergence remained unknown. Utilizing different network models and motivated by experimental observations, synaptic plasticity was proposed as a possible mechanism to self-organize brain dynamics toward a critical point. In this review, we discuss how various biologically plausible plasticity rules operating across multiple timescales are implemented in the models and how they alter the network’s dynamical state through modification of number and strength of the connections between the neurons. Some of these rules help to stabilize criticality, some need additional mechanisms to prevent divergence from the critical state. We propose that rules that are capable of bringing the network to criticality can be classified by how long the near-critical dynamics persists after their disabling. Finally, we discuss the role of self-organization and criticality in computation. Overall, the concept of criticality helps to shed light on brain function and self-organization, yet the overall dynamics of living neural networks seem to harnesses not only criticality for computation, but also deviations thereof.

The role of self-organization during confined comminution of granular materials

2010 ◽  
Vol 368 (1910) ◽  
pp. 231-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oded Ben-Nun ◽  
Itai Einav
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Granular Materials ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
Self Similar ◽  
Discrete Element Simulations ◽  
Comprehensive Study

During confined comminution of granular materials a power-law grain size distribution (gsd) frequently evolves. We consider this power law as a hint for fractal topology if self-similar patterns appear across the scales. We demonstrate that this ultimate topology is mostly affected by the rules that define the self-organization of the fragment subunits, which agrees well with observations from simplistic models of cellular automata. There is, however, a major difference that highlights the novelty of the current work: here the conclusion is based on a comprehensive study using two-dimensional ‘crushable’ discrete-element simulations that do not neglect physical conservation laws. Motivated by the paradigm of self-organized criticality, we further demonstrate that in uniaxial compression the emerging ultimate fractal topology, as given by the fractal dimension, is generally insensitive to alteration of global index properties of initial porosity and initial gsd. Finally, we show that the fractal dimension in the confined crushing systems is approached irrespective of alteration of the criteria that define when particles crush.

scholarly journals Self-Organized Criticality on Twitter: Phenomenological Theory and Empirical Investigation Based on Data Analysis Results

Complexity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey Dmitriev ◽  
Victor Dmitriev ◽  
Stepan Balybin
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Critical State ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Phenomenological Theory ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Protest Movements ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
Stochastic Sources ◽  
Adiabatic Mode

Recently, there has been an increasing number of empirical evidence supporting the hypothesis that spread of avalanches of microposts on social networks, such as Twitter, is associated with some sociopolitical events. Typical examples of such events are political elections and protest movements. Inspired by this phenomenon, we built a phenomenological model that describes Twitter’s self-organization in a critical state. An external manifestation of this condition is the spread of avalanches of microposts on the network. The model is based on a fractional three-parameter self-organization scheme with stochastic sources. It is shown that the adiabatic mode of self-organization in a critical state is determined by the intensive coordinated action of a relatively small number of network users. To identify the critical states of the network and to verify the model, we have proposed a spectrum of three scaling indicators of the observed time series of microposts.

scholarly journals Observational evidence in favor of scale-free evolution of sunspot groups

2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. A183
Author(s):  
A. Shapoval ◽  
J.-L. Le Mouël ◽  
M. Shnirman ◽  
V. Courtillot
Keyword(s):  
Weibull Distribution ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Computational Procedures ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Sunspot Groups

Context. The hypothesis stating that the distribution of sunspot groups versus their size (φ) follows a power law in the domain of small groups was recently highlighted but rejected in favor of a Weibull distribution. Aims. In this paper we reconsider this question, and are led to the opposite conclusion. Methods. We have suggested a new definition of group size, namely the spatio-temporal “volume” (V) obtained as the sum of the observed daily areas instead of a single area associated with each group. Results. With this new definition of “size”, the width of the power-law part of the distribution φ ∼ 1/Vβ increases from 1.5 to 2.5 orders of magnitude. The exponent β is close to 1. The width of the power-law part and its exponent are stable with respect to the different catalogs and computational procedures used to reduce errors in the data. The observed distribution is not fit adequately by a Weibull distribution. Conclusions. The existence of a wide 1/V part of the distribution φ suggests that self-organized criticality underlies the generation and evolution of sunspot groups and that the mechanism responsible for it is scale-free over a large range of sizes.

Plasticity: Cells, Circuits, Brains, and Behavior

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia S. Churchland ◽  
Terrence J. Sejnowski
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Classical Conditioning ◽  
Neuronal Plasticity ◽  
Neural Mechanism ◽  
Synaptic Strength ◽  
Physical Mechanisms ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Brain

This chapter examines the physical mechanisms in nervous systems in order to elucidate the structural bases and functional principles of synaptic plasticity. Neuroscientific research on plasticity can be divided into four main streams: the neural mechanism for relatively simple kinds of plasticity, such as classical conditioning or habituation; anatomical and physiological studies of temporal lobe structures, including the hippocampus and the amygdala; study of the development of the visual system; and the relation between the animal's genes and the development of its nervous system. The chapter first considers the role of the mammalian hippocampus in learning and memory before discussing Donald Hebb's views on synaptic plasticity. It then explores the mechanisms underlying neuronal plasticity and those that decrease synaptic strength, the relevance of time with respect to plasticity, and the occurrence of plasticity during the development of the nervous system. It also describes modules, modularity, and networks in the brain.

Complexity and Criticality

2020 ◽  
pp. 42-50
Author(s):  
Helmut Satz
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Correlation Length ◽  
Critical Behavior ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
Free Behavior

Complex systems and critical behavior in complex system are defined in terms of correlation between constituents in the medium, subject to screening by intermediate constituents. At a critical point, the correlation length diverges—as a result, one finds the scale-free behavior also observed for bird flocks. This behavior is therefore possibly a form of self-organized criticality.

SELF-ORGANIZED CORONA GRAPHS: A DETERMINISTIC COMPLEX NETWORK MODEL WITH HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (06) ◽  
pp. 1950019
Author(s):  
ROHAN SHARMA ◽  
BIBHAS ADHIKARI ◽  
TYLL KRUEGER
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Small World ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Power Law Exponent ◽  
Growing Networks ◽  
Growing Network ◽  
Hierarchical Pattern ◽  
Corona Graphs

In this paper, we propose a self-organization mechanism for newly appeared nodes during the formation of corona graphs that define a hierarchical pattern in the resulting corona graphs and we call it self-organized corona graphs (SoCG). We show that the degree distribution of SoCG follows power-law in its tail with power-law exponent approximately 2. We also show that the diameter is less equal to 4 for SoCG defined by any seed graph and for certain seed graphs, the diameter remains constant during its formation. We derive lower bounds of clustering coefficients of SoCG defined by certain seed graphs. Thus, the proposed SoCG can be considered as a growing network generative model which is defined by using the corona graphs and a self-organization process such that the resulting graphs are scale-free small-world highly clustered growing networks. The SoCG defined by a seed graph can also be considered as a network with a desired motif which is the seed graph itself.

scholarly journals A minimalist model of characteristic earthquakes

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 513-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vázquez-Prada ◽  
Á. González ◽  
J. B. Gómez ◽  
A. F. Pacheco
Keyword(s):  
Recurrence Time ◽  
Characteristic Earthquake ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Algebraic Description ◽  
Earthquake Size ◽  
Self Organized Criticality ◽  
Characteristic Earthquakes ◽  
Frequency Relation

Abstract. In a spirit akin to the sandpile model of self-organized criticality, we present a simple statistical model of the cellular-automaton type which simulates the role of an asperity in the dynamics of a one-dimensional fault. This model produces an earthquake spectrum similar to the characteristic-earthquake behaviour of some seismic faults. This model, that has no parameter, is amenable to an algebraic description as a Markov Chain. This possibility illuminates some important results, obtained by Monte Carlo simulations, such as the earthquake size-frequency relation and the recurrence time of the characteristic earthquake.

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