Robust Scaling in Human Brain Dynamics Despite Latent Variables and Limited Sampling Distortions

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Calvo, Rubén, Martorell, Carles, Roig, Adrián, Muñoz, Miguel A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Calvo, Rubén
Martorell, Carles
Roig, Adrián
Muñoz, Miguel A.
author_facet Calvo, Rubén
Martorell, Carles
Roig, Adrián
Muñoz, Miguel A.
contents The idea that information-processing systems operate near criticality to enhance computational performance is supported by scaling signatures in brain activity. However, external signals raise the question of whether this behavior is intrinsic or input-driven. We show that autocorrelated inputs and temporal resolution influence observed scaling exponents in simple neural models. We also demonstrate analytically that under subsampling, non-critical systems driven by independent autocorrelated signals can exhibit strong signatures of apparent criticality. To address these pitfalls, we develop a robust framework and apply it to pooled neural data, revealing resting-state brain activity at the population level is slightly sub-critical yet near-critical. Notably, the extracted critical exponents closely match predictions from a simple recurrent firing-rate model, supporting the emergence of near-critical dynamics from reverberant network activity, with potential implications for information processing and artificial intelligence.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_03640
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Robust Scaling in Human Brain Dynamics Despite Latent Variables and Limited Sampling Distortions
Calvo, Rubén
Martorell, Carles
Roig, Adrián
Muñoz, Miguel A.
Neurons and Cognition
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Statistical Mechanics
The idea that information-processing systems operate near criticality to enhance computational performance is supported by scaling signatures in brain activity. However, external signals raise the question of whether this behavior is intrinsic or input-driven. We show that autocorrelated inputs and temporal resolution influence observed scaling exponents in simple neural models. We also demonstrate analytically that under subsampling, non-critical systems driven by independent autocorrelated signals can exhibit strong signatures of apparent criticality. To address these pitfalls, we develop a robust framework and apply it to pooled neural data, revealing resting-state brain activity at the population level is slightly sub-critical yet near-critical. Notably, the extracted critical exponents closely match predictions from a simple recurrent firing-rate model, supporting the emergence of near-critical dynamics from reverberant network activity, with potential implications for information processing and artificial intelligence.
title Robust Scaling in Human Brain Dynamics Despite Latent Variables and Limited Sampling Distortions
topic Neurons and Cognition
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Statistical Mechanics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.03640