Dynamic Coupling in Cortical Neural Networks

Abstract

Electrophysiological studies of cortical function on the basis of simultaneous, separable multiple-neuron recordings show that interactions between cortical neurons may strongly depend on stimulus- and behavioral context. Moreover, the interactions may show dynamics on several different time scales, with time constants of modulation as low as tens of milliseconds. These findings point at the need to distinguish between anatomical connectivity and functional coupling in cortical networks. Underlying mechanisms and functional implications of such dynamic coupling are discussed.