Synaptic potentiation facilitates memory-like attractor dynamics in cultured in vitro hippocampal networks

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that pharmacologically induced synaptic potentiation in cultured hippocampal networks enhances activity and supports stable attractor-like dynamics, providing insights into the neural basis of memory formation.

Contribution

It shows that increasing synaptic strength pharmacologically can induce persistent, stable attractor-like activity patterns in vitro hippocampal networks, aligning with theoretical models of memory.

Findings

Persistent increase in spiking and bursting activity after treatment

More errant spikes are recruited into bursts post-perturbation

Network maintains stable dynamical activity patterns

Abstract

Collective rhythmic dynamics from neurons is vital for cognitive functions such as memory formation but how neurons self-organize to produce such activity is not well understood. Attractor-based models have been successfully implemented as a theoretical framework for memory storage in networks of neurons. Activity-dependent modification of synaptic transmission is thought to be the physiological basis of learning and memory. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that using a pharmacological perturbation on in vitro networks of hippocampal neurons that has been shown to increase synaptic strength follows the dynamical postulates theorized by attractor models. We use a grid of extracellular electrodes to study changes in network activity after this perturbation and show that there is a persistent increase in overall spiking and bursting activity after treatment. This increase in activity appears to recruit more "errant" spikes into bursts. Lastly, phase plots indicate a conserved activity pattern suggesting that the network is operating in a stable dynamical state.