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Criticality between Cortical States

Antonio J. Fontenele, Nivaldo A. P. de Vasconcelos, Thaís Feliciano, Leandro A. A. Aguiar, Carina Soares-Cunha, Bárbara Coimbra, Leonardo Dalla Porta, Sidarta Ribeiro, Ana João Rodrigues, Nuno Sousa, Pedro V. Carelli, and Mauro Copelli
Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 208101 – Published 21 May 2019
Physics logo See Synopsis: New Evidence for Brain Criticality
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Abstract

Since the first measurements of neuronal avalanches, the critical brain hypothesis has gained traction. However, if the brain is critical, what is the phase transition? For several decades, it has been known that the cerebral cortex operates in a diversity of regimes, ranging from highly synchronous states (with higher spiking variability) to desynchronized states (with lower spiking variability). Here, using both new and publicly available data, we test independent signatures of criticality and show that a phase transition occurs in an intermediate value of spiking variability, in both anesthetized and freely moving animals. The critical exponents point to a universality class different from mean-field directed percolation. Importantly, as the cortex hovers around this critical point, the avalanche exponents follow a linear relation that encompasses previous experimental results from different setups and is reproduced by a model.

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  • Received 6 November 2018
  • Revised 18 February 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.208101

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Physics of Living Systems

Synopsis

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New Evidence for Brain Criticality

Published 21 May 2019

Researchers observe a critical point—a feature indicative of a continuous phase transition—in the brain’s electrical activity as it switches from an asleep-like to an awake-like state.

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Authors & Affiliations

Antonio J. Fontenele1,*, Nivaldo A. P. de Vasconcelos1,2,3,4,*, Thaís Feliciano1, Leandro A. A. Aguiar1,5, Carina Soares-Cunha3,4, Bárbara Coimbra3,4, Leonardo Dalla Porta1,6, Sidarta Ribeiro7, Ana João Rodrigues3,4, Nuno Sousa3,4, Pedro V. Carelli1,†, and Mauro Copelli1,‡

  • 1Physics Department, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE 50670-901, Brazil
  • 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE 50670-901, Brazil
  • 3Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
  • 4ICVS/3Bs—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4806-909, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
  • 5Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
  • 6Systems Neuroscience, Institut dInvestigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036, Barcelona, Spain
  • 7Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN 59056-450, Brazil

  • *A. J. F. and N. A. P. V. contributed equally to this work.
  • pedro.carelli@ufpe.br
  • mcopelli@df.ufpe.br

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Issue

Vol. 122, Iss. 20 — 24 May 2019

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