Computational model of excitatory/inhibitory ratio imbalance role in attention deficit disorders.
Abstract
Impairments in attentional behaviors, including over-selectivity, under-selectivity, distractibility and difficulty in shift of attention, are widely reported in several developmental disorders, including autism. Uncharacteristic inhibitory to excitatory neuronal number ratio (IER) and abnormal synaptic strength levels in the brain are two broadly accepted neurobiological disorders observed in autistic individuals. These neurobiological findings are contrasting and their relation to the atypical attentional behaviors is not clear yet. In this paper, we take a computational approach to investigate the relation of imbalanced IER and abnormal synaptic strength to some well-documented spectrum of attentional impairments. The computational model is based on a modified version of a biologically plausible neural model of two competing minicolumns in IT cortex augmented with a simple model of top-down attention. Top-down attention is assumed to amplify (attenuates) attended (unattended) stimulus. The inhibitory synaptic strength parameter in the model is set such that typical attentional behavior is emerged. Then, according to related findings, the parameter is changed and the model's attentional behavior is considered. The simulation ...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Attention Disorders
Attention is involved in all cognitive activities, and attention disorders are reported in patients with various neurological diseases. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to attention disorders.
Autism
Autism spectrum disorder is associated with challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues. Here is the latest research on autism.