Quantifying the Impact of Synaptic Delay and Neuronal Refractory Period on Criticality in Hierarchical Modular Neural Networks

Abstract: Self-organized brain criticality suggests that the brain is able to operate near a critical point.With compelling evidence supporting the theory, it is important to understand whichbiological mechanisms are required for critical dynamics to occur. Previous studies haveinvestigated the relationship between network structure and brain criticality and shownpromising results. However, most overlook a crucial aspect of networks with limited size: therelation between synaptic delay and neuronal refractory period. The aim of this project is to quantify the impact of synaptic delay and neuronal refractoryperiod in hierarchical modular neural networks (HMN). The results showed that bothvariables had a significant impact on the characteristics of neuronal avalanches, which is aphenomenon of critical dynamics. However, the analysis indicates that it is only the neuronal refractory period that has asignificant impact on critical dynamics as the impact of synaptic delay vanishes. Toconclude, further studies using HMN to investigate criticality should not overlook the impactthe neuronal refractory period has on the results.