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A continuous attractor network model without recurrent excitation: maintenance and integration in the head direction cell system.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Boucheny, C; Brunel, N; Arleo, A
Published in: J Comput Neurosci
2005

Motivated by experimental observations of the head direction system, we study a three population network model that operates as a continuous attractor network. This network is able to store in a short-term memory an angular variable (the head direction) as a spatial profile of activity across neurons in the absence of selective external inputs, and to accurately update this variable on the basis of angular velocity inputs. The network is composed of one excitatory population and two inhibitory populations, with inter-connections between populations but no connections within the neurons of a same population. In particular, there are no excitatory-to-excitatory connections. Angular velocity signals are represented as inputs in one inhibitory population (clockwise turns) or the other (counterclockwise turns). The system is studied using a combination of analytical and numerical methods. Analysis of a simplified model composed of threshold-linear neurons gives the conditions on the connectivity for (i) the emergence of the spatially selective profile, (ii) reliable integration of angular velocity inputs, and (iii) the range of angular velocities that can be accurately integrated by the model. Numerical simulations allow us to study the proposed scenario in a large network of spiking neurons and compare their dynamics with that of head direction cells recorded in the rat limbic system. In particular, we show that the directional representation encoded by the attractor network can be rapidly updated by external cues, consistent with the very short update latencies observed experimentally by Zugaro et al. (2003) in thalamic head direction cells.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Comput Neurosci

DOI

ISSN

0929-5313

Publication Date

2005

Volume

18

Issue

2

Start / End Page

205 / 227

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Thalamus
  • Systems Theory
  • Space Perception
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neural Pathways
  • Neural Networks, Computer
  • Nerve Net
  • Motion Perception
  • Models, Neurological
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Boucheny, C., Brunel, N., & Arleo, A. (2005). A continuous attractor network model without recurrent excitation: maintenance and integration in the head direction cell system. J Comput Neurosci, 18(2), 205–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-005-6559-y
Boucheny, Christian, Nicolas Brunel, and Angelo Arleo. “A continuous attractor network model without recurrent excitation: maintenance and integration in the head direction cell system.J Comput Neurosci 18, no. 2 (2005): 205–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-005-6559-y.
Boucheny, Christian, et al. “A continuous attractor network model without recurrent excitation: maintenance and integration in the head direction cell system.J Comput Neurosci, vol. 18, no. 2, 2005, pp. 205–27. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10827-005-6559-y.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Comput Neurosci

DOI

ISSN

0929-5313

Publication Date

2005

Volume

18

Issue

2

Start / End Page

205 / 227

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Thalamus
  • Systems Theory
  • Space Perception
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neural Pathways
  • Neural Networks, Computer
  • Nerve Net
  • Motion Perception
  • Models, Neurological