Mixed signatures for subcritical dynamics in rodent hippocampus during sleep and awake epochs

Abstract

Neuronal dynamics such as brain criticality have recently been attributed to optimal information processing. Brain criticality attempts to elucidate the collective dynamics of a large number of neurons. It posits that the brain operates near critical to the critical point, although the field is rife with controversies and contrasting evidence. Similar computational capacities are observed during sharp wave ripples in the hippocampus prompting the need to correlate their dynamics. In the current study, we report the measures of avalanche criticality including neuronal avalanches, branching process, crackling noise relation, and deviation from criticality coefficient and Hurst exponents for long-range temporal correlations in rodent hippocampus during sharp wave ripples. We found evidence for mixed subcritical to critical dynamics in the hippocampus and minimal difference between ripple and no ripple times across measured metrics. The evidence demonstrates heterogeneity in signatures of criticality among animals and brain areas, indicating the presence of broad-range neuronal dynamics.