Causal connectivity of evolved neural networks during behavior

To show how causal interactions in neural dynamics are modulated by behavior, it is valuable to analyze these interactions without perturbing or lesioning the neural mechanism. This paper proposes a method, based on a graph-theoretic extension of vector autoregressive modeling and 'Granger causality,' for characterizing causal interactions generated within intact neural mechanisms. This method, called 'causal connectivity analysis' is illustrated via model neural networks optimized for controlling target fixation in a simulated head-eye system, in which the structure of the environment can be experimentally varied. Causal connectivity analysis of this model yields novel insights into neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor coordination. In contrast to networks supporting comparatively simple behavior, networks supporting rich adaptive behavior show a higher density of causal interactions, as well as a stronger causal flow from sensory inputs to motor outputs. They also show different arrangements of 'causal sources' and 'causal sinks': nodes that differentially affect, or are affected by, the remainder of the network. Finally, analysis of causal connectivity can predict the functional consequences of network lesions. These results suggest that causal connectivity analysis may have useful applications in the analysis of neural dynamics

Investigating White Matter Lesion Load, Intrinsic Functional Connectivity, and Cognitive Abilities in Older Adults

Changes to the while matter of the brain disrupt neural communication between spatially distributed brain regions and are associated with cognitive changes in later life. While approximately 95% of older adults experience these brain changes, not everyone who has significant white matter damage displays cognitive impairment. Few studies have investigated the association between white matter changes and cognition in the context of functional brain network integrity. This study used a data-driven, multivariate analytical model to investigate intrinsic functional connectivity patterns associated with individual variability in white matter lesion load as related to fluid and crystallized intelligence in a sample of healthy older adults (n = 84). Several primary findings were noted. First, a reliable pattern emerged associating whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity with individual variability in measures of white matter lesion load, as indexed by total white matter lesion volume and number of lesions. Secondly, white matter lesion load was associated with increased network disintegration and dedifferentiation. Specifically, lower white matter lesion load was associated with greater within- versus between-network connectivity. Higher white matter lesion load was associated with greater between-network connectivity compared to within. These associations between intrinsic functional connectivity and white matter lesion load were not reliably associated with crystallized and fluid intelligence performance. These results suggest that changes to the white matter of the brain in typically aging older adults are characterized by increased functional brain network dedifferentiation. The findings highlight the role of white matter lesion load in altering the functional network architecture of the brain

Application of neural networks and sensitivity analysis to improved prediction of trauma survival

Application of neural networks and sensitivity analysis to improved prediction of trauma surviva

Storing cycles in Hopfield-type networks with pseudoinverse learning rule: admissibility and network topology

Cyclic patterns of neuronal activity are ubiquitous in animal nervous systems, and partially responsible for generating and controlling rhythmic movements such as locomotion, respiration, swallowing and so on. Clarifying the role of the network connectivities for generating cyclic patterns is fundamental for understanding the generation of rhythmic movements. In this paper, the storage of binary cycles in neural networks is investigated. We call a cycle $\Sigma$ admissible if a connectivity matrix satisfying the cycle's transition conditions exists, and construct it using the pseudoinverse learning rule. Our main focus is on the structural features of admissible cycles and corresponding network topology. We show that $\Sigma$ is admissible if and only if its discrete Fourier transform contains exactly $r={rank}(\Sigma)$ nonzero columns. Based on the decomposition of the rows of $\Sigma$ into loops, where a loop is the set of all cyclic permutations of a row, cycles are classified as simple cycles, separable or inseparable composite cycles. Simple cycles contain rows from one loop only, and the network topology is a feedforward chain with feedback to one neuron if the loop-vectors in $\Sigma$ are cyclic permutations of each other. Composite cycles contain rows from at least two disjoint loops, and the neurons corresponding to the rows in $\Sigma$ from the same loop are identified with a cluster. Networks constructed from separable composite cycles decompose into completely isolated clusters. For inseparable composite cycles at least two clusters are connected, and the cluster-connectivity is related to the intersections of the spaces spanned by the loop-vectors of the clusters. Simulations showing successfully retrieved cycles in continuous-time Hopfield-type networks and in networks of spiking neurons are presented.Comment: 48 pages, 3 figure