Building stochastic dynamical neural circuits for cortical control
We know some basic facts about connectivity among areas of cortex and thalamus, and about direction of excitation and inhibition. We are beginning to speculate about the dynamics of such processes as the focus of attention, which is believed to depend on communication in the cortex. I will propose a construction of a dynamical neural circuit model, using as a basic building block the interaction of excitatory and inhibitory families of neurones. With noise, such E-I units can produce briefly sustained oscillations of certain frequencies. An interesting speculation is that particular phase relations among such frequencies, together with a hypothetical switching mechanism in the thalamus, may control cortical direction of attention. This is joint work with Lawrence Ward.