title: Emergence of slow collective oscillations in neural networks with spike-timing dependent plasticity.
abstract: The collective dynamics of excitatory pulse coupled neurons with spike-timing dependent plasticity is studied. The introduction of spike-timing dependent plasticity induces persistent irregular oscillations between strongly and weakly synchronized states, reminiscent of brain activity during slow-wave sleep. We explain the oscillations by a mechanism, the Sisyphus Effect, caused by a continuous feedback between the synaptic adjustments and the coherence in the neural firing. Due to this effect, the synaptic weights have oscillating equilibrium values, and this prevents the system from relaxing into a stationary macroscopic state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 1520, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kaare
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 1520, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imparato
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 1520, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark and CNR-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, via Madonna del Piano 10, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy and INFN Sezione di Firenze, via Sansone, 1-I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torcini
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D005246:Feedback; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*