Attention through self-synchronisation in the spiking neuron stochastic diffusion network

De Meyer, K. and Nasuto, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9414-9049 (2000) Attention through self-synchronisation in the spiking neuron stochastic diffusion network. Consciousness and Cognition, 9 (2). p. 81. ISSN 1053-8100

Abstract/Summary

The paper discusses ensemble behaviour in the Spiking Neuron Stochastic Diffusion Network, SNSDN, a novel network exploring biologically plausible information processing based on higher order temporal coding. SNSDN was proposed as an alternative solution to the binding problem [1]. SNSDN operation resembles Stochastic Diffusin on Search, SDS, a non-deterministic search algorithm able to rapidly locate the best instantiation of a target pattern within a noisy search space ([3], [5]). In SNSDN, relevant information is encoded in the length of interspike intervals. Although every neuron operates in its own time, ‘attention’ to a pattern in the search space results in self-synchronised activity of a large population of neurons. When multiple patterns are present in the search space, ‘switching of at- tention’ results in a change of the synchronous activity. The qualitative effect of attention on the synchronicity of spiking behaviour in both time and frequency domain will be discussed.