Title
Cortical circuits for perceptual inference.
Abstract
This paper assumes that cortical circuits have evolved to enable inference about the causes of sensory input received by the brain. This provides a principled specification of what neural circuits have to achieve. Here, we attempt to address how the brain makes inferences by casting inference as an optimisation problem. We look at how the ensuing recognition dynamics could be supported by directed connections and message-passing among neuronal populations, given our knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic neuronal connections. We assume that the brain models the world as a dynamic system, which imposes causal structure on the sensorium. Perception is equated with the optimisation or inversion of this internal model, to explain sensory input. Given a model of how sensory data are generated, we use a generic variational approach to model inversion to furnish equations that prescribe recognition; i.e., the dynamics of neuronal activity that represents the causes of sensory input. Here, we focus on a model whose hierarchical and dynamical structure enables simulated brains to recognise and predict sequences of sensory states. We first review these models and their inversion under a variational free-energy formulation. We then show that the brain has the necessary infrastructure to implement this inversion and present stimulations using synthetic birds that generate and recognise birdsongs.
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1016/j.neunet.2009.07.023
Neural Networks
Keywords
Field
DocType
Generative models,Predictive coding,Hierarchical,Dynamic,Nonlinear,Circuits,Variational,Birdsong,Free-energy
Hierarchical control system,Causal structure,Inference,Artificial intelligence,Artificial neural network,Sensory system,Perception,Mathematics,Internal model,Machine learning,Generative model
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
22
8
0893-6080
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
19
1.02
6
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Karl Friston177649.34
Stefan Kiebel230621.28