Interplay of synchronization and cortical input in models of brain networks

Abstract

It is well known that synchronization patterns and coherence have a major role in the functioning of brain networks, both in pathological and in healthy states. In particular, in the perception of sound, one can observe an increase in coherence between the global dynamics in the network and the auditory input. In this perspective article, we show that synchronization scenarios are determined by a fine interplay between network topology, the location of the input, and frequencies of these cortical input signals. To this end, we analyze the influence of an external stimulation in a network of FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators with empirically measured structural connectivity, and discuss different areas of cortical stimulation, including the auditory cortex.