Partial and entropic information decompositions of a neuronal modulatory interaction

Kay, J. , Ince, R. , Dering, B. and Phillips, W. (2017) Partial and entropic information decompositions of a neuronal modulatory interaction. Entropy, 19(11), 560. (doi: 10.3390/e19110560)

[img]
Preview
Text
154109.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

5MB

Abstract

Information processing within neural systems often depends upon selective amplification of relevant signals and suppression of irrelevant signals. This has been shown many times by studies of contextual effects but there is as yet no consensus on how to interpret such studies. Some researchers interpret the effects of context as contributing to the selective receptive field (RF) input about which neurons transmit information. Others interpret context effects as affecting transmission of information about RF input without becoming part of the RF information transmitted. Here we use partial information decomposition (PID) and entropic information decomposition (EID) to study the properties of a form of modulation previously used in neurobiologically plausible neural nets. PID shows that this form of modulation can affect transmission of information in the RF input without the binary output transmitting any information unique to the modulator. EID produces similar decompositions, except that information unique to the modulator and the mechanistic shared component can be negative when modulating and modulated signals are correlated. Synergistic and source shared components were never negative in the conditions studied. Thus, both PID and EID show that modulatory inputs to a local processor can affect the transmission of information from other inputs. Contrary to what was previously assumed, this transmission can occur without the modulatory inputs becoming part of the information transmitted, as shown by the use of PID with the model we consider. Decompositions of psychophysical data from a visual contrast detection task with surrounding context suggest that a similar form of modulation may also occur in real neural systems.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Ince, Dr Robin and Kay, Dr James
Authors: Kay, J., Ince, R., Dering, B., and Phillips, W.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Statistics
Journal Name:Entropy
Publisher:MDPI
ISSN:1099-4300
ISSN (Online):1099-4300
Published Online:26 October 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in Entropy 19(11):560
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record