2024/02/19 by Tamal Batabyal, Scott L. Brincat, Jacob Donoghue +3 · 1 voice · 3 citations
Neuroscience · #Neural dynamics and brain function #EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces #Memory and Neural Mechanisms
paper · pdf · doi:10.1101/2024.02.19.581020
Abstract Cortical activity shows the ability to recover from distractions. We analyzed neural activity from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of monkeys performing working memory tasks with mid-memory-delay distractions (a cued gaze shift or an irrelevant visual input). After distraction there were state-space rotational dynamics that returned spiking to population patterns similar to those pre-disruption. In fact, rotations were fuller when the task was performed correctly versus when errors were made. We found a correspondence between state-space rotations and traveling waves across the surface of the PFC. This suggests a role for emergent dynamics like state-space rotations and traveling waves in recovery from distractions.