AUTHOR=Tiddia Gianmarco , Golosio Bruno , Fanti Viviana , Paolucci Pier Stanislao 

TITLE=Simulations of working memory spiking networks driven by short-term plasticity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/integrative-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnint.2022.972055

DOI=10.3389/fnint.2022.972055

ISSN=1662-5145

ABSTRACT=Working Memory is a cognitive mechanism which enables temporary holding and manipulation of information in the human brain. This mechanism is mainly characterized by a neuronal persistent activity during which neuron populations are able to maintain an enhanced spiking activity after being triggered by a short external cue. In this work we implement, using the NEST simulator, a spiking neural network model in which the working memory activity is sustained by a mechanism of short-term synaptic facilitation related to calcium kinetics. The model, characterized by leaky integrate-and-fire neurons with exponential postsynaptic currents, is able to autonomously show an activity regime in which the memory information can be stored in a synaptic form as a result of synaptic facilitation, with spiking activity functional to facilitation maintenance. The network is able to simultaneously keep multiple memories by showing an alternated synchronous activity which preserves the synaptic facilitation within the neuron populations holding memory information. The results shown in this work confirm that a working memory mechanism can be sustained by synaptic facilitation.