Optimal synchrony state for maximal information transmission

Abstract

This work investigated the roles of spontaneous synchronized rhythmic oscillations in information processing in a globally coupled neural network. We found that in the encoding of input aperiodic signals, there exists a range of optimal synchronous states in the network, where the information transmission rate and coding efficiency of the network are maximized. Our results indicate that it is not the weaker or stronger but an appropriate synchronous state may be of more functional significance in sensory encoding.