Spurious dynamics in somatosensory cortex

Cortical networks are dynamical systems whose task is to process information. However, in addition to \u27intended\u27 dynamical behaviors, the sheer complexity of a cortical network\u27s structure-regardless of its precise details-should generate additional \u27unintended\u27 dynamical behaviors. Dynamics observed in cortical network models and in the somatosensory cortex suggest that such spurious dynamical behaviors are likely to be pervasive but relatively simple, contributing to-rather than dominating-a network\u27s response to stimuli. Spurious dynamics may be responsible for a variety of experimentally observed intriguing features of cortical dynamics. Because of their distributed origins and emergent nature, such dynamical features, while clearly identifiable, will resist attempts at identifying specific mechanisms to explain them. We describe some of the spurious dynamical phenomena associated with somatosensory cortical response to brushing stimulation, to illustrate how spurious dynamics can affect neurons\u27 functional properties, cortical stimulus representation and, ultimately, perception. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved