scholarly journals Implications of Noise on Neural Correlates of Consciousness: A Computational Analysis of Stochastic Systems of Mutually Connected Processes

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 583
Author(s):  
Pavel Kraikivski
Keyword(s):  
Dynamical Systems ◽  
Stochastic Systems ◽  
System Size ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Spectral Entropy ◽  
Modeling And Analysis ◽  
Neural Correlates Of Consciousness ◽  
Power Spectral ◽  
Neuronal Processes ◽  
Random Fluctuations

Random fluctuations in neuronal processes may contribute to variability in perception and increase the information capacity of neuronal networks. Various sources of random processes have been characterized in the nervous system on different levels. However, in the context of neural correlates of consciousness, the robustness of mechanisms of conscious perception against inherent noise in neural dynamical systems is poorly understood. In this paper, a stochastic model is developed to study the implications of noise on dynamical systems that mimic neural correlates of consciousness. We computed power spectral densities and spectral entropy values for dynamical systems that contain a number of mutually connected processes. Interestingly, we found that spectral entropy decreases linearly as the number of processes within the system doubles. Further, power spectral density frequencies shift to higher values as system size increases, revealing an increasing impact of negative feedback loops and regulations on the dynamics of larger systems. Overall, our stochastic modeling and analysis results reveal that large dynamical systems of mutually connected and negatively regulated processes are more robust against inherent noise than small systems.

scholarly journals Can binocular rivalry reveal neural correlates of consciousness?

2014 ◽  
Vol 369 (1641) ◽  
pp. 20130211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randolph Blake ◽  
Jan Brascamp ◽  
David J. Heeger
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Binocular Rivalry ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Causal Link ◽  
Neural Dynamics ◽  
Perceptual Decision Making ◽  
Neural Correlate ◽  
Neural Correlates Of Consciousness ◽  
Neural Correlate Of Consciousness

This essay critically examines the extent to which binocular rivalry can provide important clues about the neural correlates of conscious visual perception. Our ideas are presented within the framework of four questions about the use of rivalry for this purpose: (i) what constitutes an adequate comparison condition for gauging rivalry's impact on awareness, (ii) how can one distinguish abolished awareness from inattention, (iii) when one obtains unequivocal evidence for a causal link between a fluctuating measure of neural activity and fluctuating perceptual states during rivalry, will it generalize to other stimulus conditions and perceptual phenomena and (iv) does such evidence necessarily indicate that this neural activity constitutes a neural correlate of consciousness? While arriving at sceptical answers to these four questions, the essay nonetheless offers some ideas about how a more nuanced utilization of binocular rivalry may still provide fundamental insights about neural dynamics, and glimpses of at least some of the ingredients comprising neural correlates of consciousness, including those involved in perceptual decision-making.

FREQUENCY SYNCHRONIZATION IN NETWORKS OF COUPLED OSCILLATORS, A MONOTONE DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS APPROACH

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 4107-4116 ◽  
Author(s):  
WEN-XIN QIN
Keyword(s):  
Dynamical Systems ◽  
Coupling Strength ◽  
Coupled Oscillators ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
System Size ◽  
Coupling Scheme ◽  
Frequency Synchronization ◽  
Nonlinear Coupling ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Monotone Dynamical Systems

We propose a new approach to investigate the frequency synchronization in networks of coupled oscillators. By making use of the theory of monotone dynamical systems, we show that frequency synchronization occurs in networks of coupled oscillators, provided the coupling scheme is symmetric, connected, and strongly cooperative. Our criterion is independent of the system size, the coupling strength and the details of the connections, and applies also to nonlinear coupling schemes.

A Stochastic Hierarchical Population System: Excitement, Extinction and Transition to Chaos

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Bashkirtseva ◽  
Tatyana Perevalova ◽  
Lev Ryashko
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Food Chain ◽  
Analytical Method ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Biological Parameters ◽  
Top Predator ◽  
Population System ◽  
Modeling And Analysis ◽  
Transition To Chaos ◽  
Random Fluctuations

A problem of the mathematical modeling and analysis of noise-induced transformations of complex oscillatory regimes in hierarchical population systems is considered. As a key example, we use a three-dimensional food chain dynamical model of the interacting prey, predator, and top predator. We perform a comparative study of the impacts of random fluctuations on three key biological parameters of prey growth, predator mortality, and the top predator growth. A detailed investigation of the stochastic excitement, noise-induced transition from order to chaos, and various scenarios of extinction is carried out. Constructive abilities of the semi-analytical method of confidence domains in the analysis of the noise-induced extinction are demonstrated.

scholarly journals Ask and You Shall Receive: A closer look on unsolved consciousness issue

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Motavalli ◽  
◽  
Javad Mahmoudi ◽  
Alireza Majdi ◽  
Saeed Sadigh-Eteghad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Historical Aspects ◽  
Neural Correlates Of Consciousness ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Mind And Body ◽  
The Brain

Although there are numerous views about the concept of consciousness, no consensus exists regarding the meaning. However, with the aid of the latest neuroscientific developments, the misleading obstacles related to consciousness have been removed. Over the last few decades, neuroscientific efforts in determining the function of the brain and merging these findings with philosophical theories, have brought a more comprehensive perception of the notion of consciousness. In addition to metaphysical/ontological views of consciousness e.g., higher-order theories, reflexive theories, and representationalist theories, there are some brain directed topics in this matter which include but not are limited to neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), brain loop connectivity, and lateralization. This narrative review sheds light on cultural and historical aspects of consciousness in old and middle ages and introduces some of the prominent philosophical discussions related to mind and body. Also, it illustrates the correlation of brain function with states of consciousness with a focus on the roles of function and connectivity.

scholarly journals Autobiographical Script-Driven Imagery Has No Detectable Effect on Emotion Regulation in Healthy Individuals

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Stephan Köhler ◽  
Veith Andreas Weilnhammer ◽  
Henrik Walter ◽  
Susanne Erk ◽  
Philipp Sterzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Mood Induction ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Detectable Effect ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Neuronal Processes ◽  
The Right ◽  
Healthy Participants

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Emotion regulation (ER), the ability to actively modulate one’s own emotion reactions, likely depends on the individual’s current emotional state. Here, we investigated whether negative emotions induced by an interpersonal autobiographic script affect the neuronal processes underlying ER. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Twenty healthy participants were recruited and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of distancing, a specific ER strategy, while viewing emotionally arousing pictures. Participants were instructed to either naturally experience (“permit” condition) or to actively downregulate (“regulate” condition) their emotional responses to the presented stimuli. Before each of the 4 runs in total, a neutral or negative autobiographical audio script was presented. The negative script comprised an emotionally negative event from childhood or adolescence that represented either emotional abuse or emotional neglect. The second event comprised an everyday neutral situation. We aimed at identifying the neural correlates of ER and their modulation by script-driven imagery. <b><i>Results:</i></b> fMRI analyses testing for greater responses in the “regulate” than the “permit” condition replicated previously reported neural correlates of ER in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the right inferior parietal lobule. A significant ER effect was also observed in the left orbitofrontal cortex. In the amygdala, we found greater responses in the “permit” compared to the “regulate” condition. We did not observe a significant modulation of the ER effects in any of these regions by the negative emotional state induced by autobiographical scripts. Bayesian statistics confirmed the absence of such modulations by providing marginal evidence for null effects. <b><i>Discussion:</i></b> While we replicated previously reported neural correlates of ER, we found no evidence for an effect of mood induction with individualized autobiographical scripts on the neural processes underlying ER in healthy participants.

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