Title
Distinguishing Causal Interactions in Neural Populations
Abstract
We describe a theoretical network analysis that can distinguish statistically causal interactions in population neural activity leading to a specific output. We introduce the concept of a causal core to refer to the set of neuronal interactions that are causally significant for the output, as assessed by Granger causality. Because our approach requires extensive knowledge of neuronal connectivity and dynamics, an illustrative example is provided by analysis of Darwin X, a brain-based device that allows precise recording of the activity of neuronal units during behavior. In Darwin X, a simulated neuronal model of the hippocampus and surrounding cortical areas supports learning of a spatial navigation task in a real environment. Analysis of Darwin X reveals that large repertoires of neuronal interactions contain comparatively small causal cores and that these causal cores become smaller during learning, a finding that may reflect the selection of specific causal pathways from diverse neuronal repertoires.
Year
DOI
Venue
2007
10.1162/neco.2007.19.4.910
Neural Computation
Keywords
Field
DocType
granger causality,network analysis,spatial navigation
Population,Causality,Neuroscience,Granger causality,Models of neural computation,Neural activity,Psychology,Artificial intelligence,Network analysis,Artificial neural network,Spatial memory,Machine learning
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
19
4
0899-7667
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
20
1.45
6
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Anil K. Seth133831.33
Gerald M. Edelman219019.26