Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2015

Abstract

Neurons are believed to be the brain computational engines of the brain. A recent discovery in neurophysiology reveals that interneurons can slowly integrate spiking, share the output across a coupled network of axons and respond with persistent firing even in the absence of input to the soma or dendrites, which has not been understood and could be very important for exploring the mechanism of human cognition. The conventional models are incapable of simulating the important newly-discovered phenomenon of persistent firing induced by axonal slow integration. In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient model of neurons through modeling the axon as a slow leaky integrator, which captures almost all-known neural behaviors. The model controls the switching of axonal firing dynamics between passive conduction mode and persistent firing mode. The interplay between the axonal integrated potential and its multiple thresholds in axon precisely determines the persistent firing dynamics of neurons. We also present a persistent firing polychronous spiking network which exhibits asynchronous dynamics indicating that this computationally efficient model is not only bio-plausible, but also suitable for large scale spiking network simulations. The implications of this network and the analog circuit design for exploring the relationship between working memory and persistent firing enable developing a spiking networkbased memory and bio-inspired computer systems.

Keywords

Neuron Model, Neuromorphic, Persistent Firing, Slow Integration, Spiking Network, Working Memory

Discipline

Databases and Information Systems | OS and Networks

Research Areas

Data Science and Engineering

Publication

International Journal of Intelligence Science

Volume

5

Issue

2

First Page

89

Last Page

101

ISSN

2163-0283

Identifier

10.4236/ijis.2015.52009

Publisher

Scientific Research Publishing

Additional URL

http://doi.org/10.4236/ijis.2015.52009

Share

COinS