Auditory power-law activation-avalanches exhibit a fundamental computational ground-state

TL;DR

This paper uncovers that the cochlea's nonlinear dynamics produce power-law avalanches, suggesting a fundamental computational ground-state in biological sound processing, with learning disrupting these power laws.

Contribution

It reveals that cochlear networks exhibit power-law avalanches linked to a fundamental processing ground-state, challenging existing models of mammalian sound processing.

Findings

Power-law size distributions are observed in cochlear activation avalanches.

Learning processes disrupt the power-law behavior.

The results suggest a new perspective on biological information processing.

Abstract

The cochlea provides a biological information-processing paradigm that we only begin to under- stand in its full complexity. Our work reveals an interacting network of strongly nonlinear dynami- cal nodes, on which even simple sound input triggers subnetworks of activated elements that follow power-law size statistics ('avalanches'). From dynamical systems theory, power-law size distribu- tions relate to a fundamental ground-state of biological information processing. Learning destroys these power laws. These results strongly modify the models of mammalian sound processing and provide a novel methodological perspective for understanding how the brain processes information.