title: Does the 1/f frequency scaling of brain signals reflect self-organized critical states?
abstract: Many complex systems display self-organized critical states characterized by 1/f frequency scaling of power spectra. Global variables such as the electroencephalogram, scale as 1/f, which could be the sign of self-organized critical states in neuronal activity. By analyzing simultaneous recordings of global and neuronal activities, we confirm the 1/f scaling of global variables for selected frequency bands, but show that neuronal activity is not consistent with critical states. We propose a model of 1/f scaling which does not rely on critical states, and which is testable experimentally.
authors.affiliation: Integrative and Computational Neuroscience Unit (UNIC), CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bédard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Destexhe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002415:Cats; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010829:Physiological Phenomena; D013569:Synapses