Short-term synaptic plasticity stabilises working memory in sparse spiking networks

Abstract

Persistent activity has long been proposed as the substrate of working memory, but sustaining it in sparse cortical networks is energetically costly. We show that short-term synaptic facilitation allows information to be held in latent synaptic states, reducing the need for continuous firing. Simulations reproduce the activity-silent dynamics observed in primate prefrontal recordings and predict a characteristic reactivation signature after brief non-specific input.

Keywords

• working memory
• synaptic plasticity
• spiking networks