Analysis and modeling of population dynamics in the visual cortex

Using a mean-field approach we simulate the dynamics of a small patch of th e primary visual cortex. The model includes excitatory and inhibitory neuro nal populations. Lateral synaptic connections between these populations are determined by the topological structure of the orientation selectivity map . Activity-dependent synaptic transmission across the lateral connections g enerate complex spatio-temporal patterns of network activity, characterized by spontaneous oscillations with several time scales. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.