MOVE

Information transfer between asymmetrically coupled groups of neurons

The emergent activity of the brain is the result of interactions between billions of neurons and inputs to the brain. One of the main questions in neuroscience focuses on the emergence of brain rhythms and on the functional role of these brain rhythms. We have studied the dynamics of asymmetrically coupled networks of neurons with time delays. Contrary to most studies in the literature, which claim that inhibitory connections are required for a stable synchronous (i.e. in-phase) behavior, our results show that when time delays are involved, the generically stable states correspond to phase delays between the (groups of) neurons. We will use these results to investigate the functional role of synchronization between motor cortex and spinal cord in the beta-range (15 – 25 Hz). In agreement with recent experimental observations, we explain how information transfer from motor cortex to spinal cord is modulated by the phase of the beta-rhythm and how the spinal cord adjusts its phase in the beta-rhythm as to optimize the transfer of cortical signals.