Spontaneous activity in the nervous system is defined as neural activity that is not driven by an external stimulus and is considered a problem for sensory processing and computation. However, spontaneous activity is not completely random and often has unique spatiotemporal patterns that instruct neural ...
Spontaneous activity in the nervous system is defined as neural activity that is not driven by an external stimulus and is considered a problem for sensory processing and computation. However, spontaneous activity is not completely random and often has unique spatiotemporal patterns that instruct neural circuit development in the developing brain. Moreover, normal and aberrant patterns of spontaneous activity underlie behavioral states and diseased conditions in the adult brain. In this topic, we will discuss the propensity, mechanisms, and functions of spontaneous activity in sensory regions of the vertebrate brain, including the hippocampus and basal ganglia. Our goal is to define the state of knowledge in the field, the current challenges, and the future directions for research.
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