Neocortical Dynamics at Multiple Scales: EEG Standing Waves, Statistical Mechanics, and Physical Analogs

29 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 2010 Last revised: 30 Dec 2010

See all articles by Lester Ingber

Lester Ingber

Physical Studies Institute LLC

Paul L. Nunez

Tulane University

Date Written: April 23, 2010

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of scalp potentials (EEG) is apparently due to some combination of global and local processes with important top-down and bottom-up interactions across spatial scales. In treating global mechanisms, we stress the importance of myelinated axon propagation delays and periodic boundary conditions in the cortical-white matter system, which is topologically close to a spherical shell. By contrast, the proposed local mechanisms are multiscale interactions between cortical columns via short-ranged non-myelinated fibers. A mechanical model consisting of a stretched string with attached nonlinear springs demonstrates the general idea. The string produces standing waves analogous to large-scale coherence EEG observed in some brain states. The attached springs are analogous to the smaller (mesoscopic) scale columnar dynamics. Generally, we expect string displacement and EEG at all scales to result from both global and local phenomena. A statistical mechanics of neocortical interactions (SMNI) calculates oscillatory behavior consistent with typical EEG, within columns, between neighboring columns via short-ranged non-myelinated fibers, across cortical regions via myelinated fibers, and also derive a string equation consistent with the global EEG model.

Keywords: EEG, Nonlinear Dynamics, Standing Waves, Statistical Mechanics, Neocortical Dynamics, Short Term Memory

JEL Classification: C15, C63, D58

Suggested Citation

Ingber, Lester and Nunez, Paul L., Neocortical Dynamics at Multiple Scales: EEG Standing Waves, Statistical Mechanics, and Physical Analogs (April 23, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1595507 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1595507

Lester Ingber (Contact Author)

Physical Studies Institute LLC ( email )

Warrenton, OR 97146
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.PhysicalStudiesInstitute.org

Paul L. Nunez

Tulane University ( email )

162 Bertel Drive
New Orleans, LA
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulnunez

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