Critical dynamics arise during structured information presentation within embodied in vitro neuronal networks

• Published in: Nature communications 2023-08, Vol.14 (1), p.5287-5287, Article 5287
• Main Authors: Habibollahi, Forough, Kagan, Brett J., Burkitt, Anthony N., French, Chris
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/114/116/2393; 631/378/116; 631/378/1595; 631/532/2182; 639/705/258; Animal models; Cognition; Dynamic structural analysis; Dynamics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Information processing; Information processing (biology); multidisciplinary; Neural networks; Neurons; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41020-3

Understanding how brains process information is an incredibly difficult task. Amongst the metrics characterising information processing in the brain, observations of dynamic near-critical states have generated significant interest. However, theoretical and experimental limitations associated with human and animal models have precluded a definite answer about when and why neural criticality arises with links from attention, to cognition, and even to consciousness. To explore this topic, we used an in vitro neural network of cortical neurons that was trained to play a simplified game of ‘Pong’ to demonstrate Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI). We demonstrate that critical dynamics emerge when neural networks receive task-related structured sensory input, reorganizing the system to a near-critical state. Additionally, better task performance correlated with proximity to critical dynamics. However, criticality alone is insufficient for a neuronal network to demonstrate learning in the absence of additional information regarding the consequences of previous actions. These findings offer compelling support that neural criticality arises as a base feature of incoming structured information processing without the need for higher order cognition. The conditions under which networks of neurons exhibit critical dynamics remains unclear. Here, the authors investigate how simple neural cultures reorganize activity when embodied in a gameplay environment and find that network wide neural criticality arises in nuanced ways.