OP dynamics for up to 3 active populations.

Abstract

For a network size of 5 populations (N = 5), all combinatorial possibilities for up to 3 active OP populations may be realized. Square waves in these and similar figures indicate the stimuli given to the population just above the given wave, and the vertical dashed lines in each plot allow for phase comparisons across different active populations. The first bar below each group of traces shows the interval of starting times in which the same stimulus (fixed amplitude and width) will produce the same result; the second bar shows the length of the period of the oscillation that is active before the stimulus is applied (note: the period may change after the stimulus is applied); the third bar in (B) is explained below. (A) The network starts at a nonzero, nonactive baseline firing rate. The first stimulus selectively activates the first population, while the other populations remain inactive with low firing rates. A second population is then activated; for these parameters and stimulus strength, almost any stimulus onset time will induce the OP state with 2 active populations, as the bars show. (B, C) Stimulating a third population with a short stimulus induces the OP state with 3 active populations. Either activation ordering may occur, depending on the phase the stimulus is presented; (B) and (C) show the two different orderings. The third, dashed, bar below the stimulus trace in (B) shows the interval of onset times that induce the OP state with three active populations; the first interval shows the onset times that produce (B) while the second interval shows the onset times that produce (C). (D, E) Larger and wider stimuli may deactivate either of the active populations, so that the network remains in the OP state but with different active populations (WTS scenario). (F) Maintaining the amplitude of the stimulus from the WTS case but increasing the stimulus width allows the third selected population to deactivate both active populations and become the only active population (WTA scenario).</p