Signatures of dynamic cell assemblies in monkey motor cortex

Abstract

It has been suggested that neuronal representations are embedded in dynamically coupled ensembles of simultaneously active neurons, commonly called cell assemblies. Multiple single-neuron recordings in the primary motor cortex of the monkey support the hypothesis that processing of information is reflected in the activity of cell assemblies. Individual neurons may belong to multiple assemblies. Furthermore, synchronized neuronal activity as an expression of the activation of a cell assembly depends on the behavioral context but not always on changes in the firing rate of neurons.