Emergence of memory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel self-organizing mechanism where neural systems develop spatial memory patterns from stimuli sequences, even without temporal correlations, highlighting a preparatory spatial structure for information processing.

Contribution

It presents a simple model based on competition, Hebbian plasticity, and recurrent connections that explains the emergence of memory in neural systems without temporal stimulus correlations.

Findings

Memory can emerge without temporal correlations in stimuli.

A model demonstrates the formation of spatial activity patterns.

Neural systems may prepare spatial structures prior to information availability.

Abstract

We propose a new self-organizing mechanism behind the emergence of memory in which temporal sequences of stimuli are transformed into spatial activity patterns. In particular, the memory emerges despite the absence of temporal correlations in the stimuli. This suggests that neural systems may prepare a spatial structure for processing information before the information itself is available. A simple model illustrating the mechanism is presented based on three principles: (1) Competition between neural units, 2) Hebbian plasticity, and (3) recurrent connections.