Costs and benefits of using rhythmic rate codes

Abstract

AbstractNeural oscillations are one of the most well-known macroscopic phenomena observed in the nervous system, and the benefits of oscillatory coding have been the topic of frequent analysis. Many of these studies focused on communication between populations which were already oscillating, and sought to understand how synchrony and communication interact. In this paper, take an alternative approach. We focus on measuring the costs, and benefits, of moving to an from an aperiodic code to a rhythmic one. We utilize a Linear-Nonlinear Poisson model, and assume a rate code. We report that no one factor seems to predict the costs, or benefits, of translating into a rhythmic code. Instead the synaptic connection type, strength, population size, and stimulus and oscillation firing rates interact in nonlinear ways. We suggest a number of experiments that might be used to confirm these predictions.Author summaryIt’s good to oscillate, sometimes.