Characteristic columnar connectivity caters to cortical computation: Replication, simulation, and evaluation of a microcircuit model

Abstract

The neocortex, and with it the mammalian brain, achieves a level of computational efficiency like no other existing computational engine. A deeper understanding of its building blocks (cortical microcircuits), and their underlying computational principles is thus of paramount interest. To this end, we need reproducible computational models that can be analyzed, modified, extended and quantitatively compared. In this study, we further that aim by providing a replication of a seminal cortical column model. This model consists of noisy Hodgkin-Huxley neurons connected by dynamic synapses, whose connectivity scheme is based on empirical findings from intracellular recordings. Our analysis confirms the key original finding that the specific, data-based connectivity structure enhances the computational performance compared to a variety of alternatively structured control circuits. For this comparison, we use tasks based on spike patterns and rates that require the systems not only to have simple classification capabilities, but also to retain information over time and to be able to compute nonlinear functions. Going beyond the scope of the original study, we demonstrate that this finding is independent of the complexity of the neuron model, which further strengthens the argument that it is the connectivity which is crucial. Finally, a detailed analysis of the memory capabilities of the circuits reveals a stereotypical memory profile common across all circuit variants. Notably, the circuit with laminar structure does not retain stimulus any longer than any other circuit type. We therefore conclude that the model’s computational advantage lies in a sharper representation of the stimuli.