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The Role of Lateral Connections in Visual Cortex: Dynamics and Information Processing

Marius Usher , Martin Stemmler , and Ernst Niebur

  1. Department of Psychology,
    University of Kent at Canterbury
    Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NP, UK
  2. Computation and Neural Systems
    California Institute of Technology
    Pasadena, CA 91125
  3. Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute
    The Johns Hopkins University
    Baltimore, MD 21218

m.usher@ukc.ac.uk, stemmler@klab.caltech.edu, niebur@jhu.edu

Abstract:

The development of the columnar structure of neocortex and its interconnections has been the subject of many models. In this chapter, we instead address the functional role of existing horizontal (lateral) connections in the processing of sensory information. We first show how the spiking nature of cell discharge interacts with the dynamics arising from the local architecture of connections, leading to a qualitative match to the typical temporal patterns of neural activity measured in visual cortex. Secondly, we discuss the role played by the horizontal connections in the processing of visual information, as exemplified by three types of computations: binding and grouping of visual stimuli by synchronized local field potentials, pop-out of visual feature gradients and line or contour completion.


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