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Optimal Fisher Decoding of Neural Activity Near Criticality

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The Functional Role of Critical Dynamics in Neural Systems

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Bio- and Neurosystems ((SSBN,volume 11))

Abstract

Studies on the functional role of criticality in the brain have thus far mainly examined the role of neural dynamics on stimulus encoding, with scant attention devoted to the impact of these dynamics on downstream decoding. Here, we consider the question of how a linear decoder may classify spontaneous cortical activity both near and away from a critical state. We show that accurate performance of the decoder is obtained only when network activity is near criticality. Simulations of a branching process capture these results and argue for a potential role of the critical state in providing a format for neural activity that can be adequately processed by downstream brain structures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Eric S. Kuebler, Matias Calderini, Philippe Lambert & Jean-Philippe Thivierge

Authors
  1. Eric S. Kuebler
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  2. Matias Calderini
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  3. Philippe Lambert
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  4. Jean-Philippe Thivierge
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-Philippe Thivierge .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Nergis Tomen

  2. Institute of Perception, Action and Behaviour, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    J. Michael Herrmann

  3. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Udo Ernst

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Kuebler, E.S., Calderini, M., Lambert, P., Thivierge, JP. (2019). Optimal Fisher Decoding of Neural Activity Near Criticality. In: Tomen, N., Herrmann, J., Ernst, U. (eds) The Functional Role of Critical Dynamics in Neural Systems . Springer Series on Bio- and Neurosystems, vol 11. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20965-0_9

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