The minicolumn hypothesis in neuroscience

Buxhoeveden, Daniel P.; Casanova, Manuel F.

doi:10.1093/brain/awf110

Cited by 425 publications

(360 citation statements)

References 147 publications

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“…These experimental findings strongly supported that the cortical columns are basic anatomical and physiological units of the cortex and suggested that columns might be of fundamental importance for the function of the brain [2,3] .…”

supporting

confidence: 57%

“…Since it was first reported in 1957 [1] , the columnar organization has been found in somatic sensory cortex, visual cortex, auditory cortex, motor cortex and association cortex of various different species including mice, rat, cats, rabbits, monkeys and humans [2] . These experimental findings strongly supported that the cortical columns are basic anatomical and physiological units of the cortex and suggested that columns might be of fundamental importance for the function of the brain [2,3] .…”

Section: Doi: 101360/03yc0240mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Synchronized oscillation in a modular neural network composed of columns

Qi²,

et al. 2005

Sci China Ser C

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The columnar organization is a ubiquitous feature in the cerebral cortex. In this study, a neural network model simulating the cortical columns has been constructed. When fed with random pulse input with constant rate, a column generates synchronized oscillations, with a frequency varying from 3 to 43 Hz depending on parameter values. The behavior of the model under periodic stimulation was studied and the input-output relationship was non-linear. When identical columns were sparsely interconnected, the column oscillator could be locked in synchrony. In a network composed of heterogeneous columns, the columns were organized by intrinsic properties and formed partially synchronized assemblies.Keywords: cortical column, synchronized oscillation, Rose-Hindmarsh model. DOI: 10.1360/03yc0240Since it was first reported in 1957 [1] , the columnar organization has been found in somatic sensory cortex, visual cortex, auditory cortex, motor cortex and association cortex of various different species including mice, rat, cats, rabbits, monkeys and humans [2] . These experimental findings strongly supported that the cortical columns are basic anatomical and physiological units of the cortex and suggested that columns might be of fundamental importance for the function of the brain [2,3] .Mathematical models were constructed and simulated to investigate the biological function of the column in the information processing in the brain. Wilson-Cowan model [4] is most frequently used to simulate the electrophysiological activities of the cortical columns in the previous studies. For example, Schuster et al. [5] proposed a columnar model to simulate the synchronized oscillation discovered in visual cortex. Jansen [6,7] presented a mathematical model of coupled cortical columns which produced EEG-like waveform and evoked potentials. Fukai [8] designed a network model in columnar structure to simulate visual pattern retrieval. Some of the column models are phase models which assume a column as an oscillator and simulate mere the phase of oscillating activities [9,10] .There has been few modeling of columns based on spiking single neurons. By replacing the single cell as the functional unit by multiple cells in cortical columns, an attractor network model was constructed and simulated to perform associative memory [11] . Hansel and Sompolinsky [12] constructed a hypercolumn model according to the physiological organization in the orientation columns in visual cortex. The synchronous and chaotic activities in the hypercolumn were studied and the model was used to explore the cortical mechanisms for orientation selectivity.

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supporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Doi: 101360/03yc0240mentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchronized oscillation in a modular neural network composed of columns

Qi²,

et al. 2005

Sci China Ser C

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“…It is an anatomically (spatially) distinct circuit of about one or two hundred neurons, oriented perpendicularly to the surface of the cortex (Fig. 3), within which the autonomy of individual neurons is reduced [163] due to dense intrinsic connectivity [164][165][166]. It is supposed that minicolumns possess relatively stereotypic internal processing, and maintain generic patterns of inputs and outputs with minicolumns in other regions [167,168].…”

Section: Spatial Structure Of Neuronal Assembliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural world physical, brain operational, and mind phenomenal space–time

Fingelkurts

Neves

2010

Physics of Life Reviews

166

233

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Concepts of space and time are widely developed in physics. However, there is a considerable lack of biologically plausible theoretical frameworks that can demonstrate how space and time dimensions are implemented in the activity of the most complex life-system -the brain with a mind. Brain activity is organized both temporally and spatially, thus representing space-time in the brain. Critical analysis of recent research on the space-time organization of the brain's activity pointed to the existence of so-called operational space-time in the brain. This space-time is limited to the execution of brain operations of differing complexity. During each such brain operation a particular short-term spatio-temporal pattern of integrated activity of different brain areas emerges within related operational space-time. At the same time, to have a fully functional human brain one needs to have a subjective mental experience. Current research on the subjective mental experience offers detailed analysis of space-time organization of the mind. According to this research, subjective mental experience (subjective virtual world) has definitive spatial and temporal properties similar to many physical phenomena. Based on systematic review of the propositions and tenets of brain and mind space-time descriptions, our aim in this review essay is to explore the relations between the two. To be precise, we would like to discuss the hypothesis that via the brain operational space-time the mind subjective space-time is connected to otherwise distant physical space-time reality.Key words: spatial, temporal, consciousness, cognition, operation, architectonics, EEG, field, metastability, physics, coordinative dynamics, self-organization, cortex.

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“…The minicolumn hypothesis of Buxhoeveden et al (Buxhoeveden and Casanova 2002a), or a size-scaled version of that concept has been used to come up with a spatially repeating local circuit, which is then used as a skeleton to fashion together longer range connections. The total number of neurons per minicolumn (16 neurons) as well as the size scale is similar to that found by Buldyrev et al (Buldyrev et al 2000) and Buxhoeveden and Casanova (Buxhoeveden and Casanova 2002b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies of stimulus parameters for seizure disruption using neural network simulations

et al. 2007

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A large scale neural network simulation with realistic cortical architecture has been undertaken to investigate the effects of external electrical stimulation on the propagation and evolution of ongoing seizure activity. This is an effort to explore the parameter space of stimulation variables to uncover promising avenues of research for this therapeutic modality. The model consists of an approximately 800 μm × 800 μm region of simulated cortex, and includes seven neuron classes organized by cortical layer, inhibitory or excitatory properties, and electrophysiological characteristics. The cell dynamics are governed by a modified version of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations in single compartment format. Axonal connections are patterned after histological data and published models of local cortical wiring. Stimulation induced action potentials take place at the axon initial segments, according to threshold requirements on the applied electric field distribution. Stimulation induced action potentials in horizontal axonal branches are also separately simulated. The calculations are performed on a 16 node distributed 32-bit processor system. Clear differences in seizure evolution are presented for stimulated versus the undisturbed rhythmic activity. Data is provided for frequency dependent stimulation effects demonstrating a plateau effect of stimulation efficacy as the applied frequency is increased from 60 Hz to 200 Hz. Timing of the stimulation with respect to the underlying rhythmic activity demonstrates a phase dependent sensitivity. Electrode height and position effects are also presented. Using a dipole stimulation electrode arrangement, clear orientation effects of the dipole with respect to the model connectivity is also demonstrated. A sensitivity analysis of these results as a function of the stimulation threshold is also provided.

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The minicolumn hypothesis in neuroscience

Cited by 425 publications

References 147 publications

Synchronized oscillation in a modular neural network composed of columns

Synchronized oscillation in a modular neural network composed of columns

Natural world physical, brain operational, and mind phenomenal space–time

Studies of stimulus parameters for seizure disruption using neural network simulations

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