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When shared concept cells support associations: Theory of overlapping memory engrams.

ABSTRACT: Assemblies of neurons, called concepts cells, encode acquired concepts in human Medial Temporal Lobe. Those concept cells that are shared between two assemblies have been hypothesized to encode associations between concepts. Here we test this hypothesis in a computational model of attractor neural networks. We find that for concepts encoded in sparse neural assemblies there is a minimal fraction cmin of neurons shared between assemblies below which associations cannot be reliably implemented; and a maximal fraction cmax of shared neurons above which single concepts can no longer be retrieved. In the presence of a periodically modulated background signal, such as hippocampal oscillations, recall takes the form of association chains reminiscent of those postulated by theories of free recall of words. Predictions of an iterative overlap-generating model match experimental data on the number of concepts to which a neuron responds.

SUBMITTER: Gastaldi C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8754331 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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When shared concept cells support associations: Theory of overlapping memory engrams.

Gastaldi Chiara C Schwalger Tilo T De Falco Emanuela E Quiroga Rodrigo Quian RQ Gerstner Wulfram W

PLoS computational biology 20211230 12

Assemblies of neurons, called concepts cells, encode acquired concepts in human Medial Temporal Lobe. Those concept cells that are shared between two assemblies have been hypothesized to encode associations between concepts. Here we test this hypothesis in a computational model of attractor neural networks. We find that for concepts encoded in sparse neural assemblies there is a minimal fraction cmin of neurons shared between assemblies below which associations cannot be reliably implemented; an ...[more]

PMID: 34968383

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