CogniSNN: Enabling Neuron-Expandability, Pathway-Reusability, and Dynamic-Configurability with Random Graph Architectures in Spiking Neural Networks

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Huang, Yongsheng, Duan, Peibo, Wu, Yujie, Sun, Kai, Liu, Zhipeng, Zhang, Changsheng, Zhang, Bin, Xu, Mingkun
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866912760268324864
author Huang, Yongsheng
Duan, Peibo
Wu, Yujie
Sun, Kai
Liu, Zhipeng
Zhang, Changsheng
Zhang, Bin
Xu, Mingkun
author_facet Huang, Yongsheng
Duan, Peibo
Wu, Yujie
Sun, Kai
Liu, Zhipeng
Zhang, Changsheng
Zhang, Bin
Xu, Mingkun
contents Spiking neural networks (SNNs), regarded as the third generation of artificial neural networks, are expected to bridge the gap between artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience. However, most mainstream SNN research directly adopts the rigid, chain-like hierarchical architecture of traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs), ignoring key structural characteristics of the brain. Biological neurons are stochastically interconnected, forming complex neural pathways that exhibit Neuron-Expandability, Pathway-Reusability, and Dynamic-Configurability. In this paper, we introduce a new SNN paradigm, named Cognition-aware SNN (CogniSNN), by incorporating Random Graph Architecture (RGA). Furthermore, we address the issues of network degradation and dimensional mismatch in deep pathways by introducing an improved pure spiking residual mechanism alongside an adaptive pooling strategy. Then, we design a Key Pathway-based Learning without Forgetting (KP-LwF) approach, which selectively reuses critical neural pathways while retaining historical knowledge, enabling efficient multi-task transfer. Finally, we propose a Dynamic Growth Learning (DGL) algorithm that allows neurons and synapses to grow dynamically along the internal temporal dimension. Extensive experiments demonstrate that CogniSNN achieves performance comparable to, or even surpassing, current state-of-the-art SNNs on neuromorphic datasets and Tiny-ImageNet. The Pathway-Reusability enhances the network's continuous learning capability across different scenarios, while the dynamic growth algorithm improves robustness against interference and mitigates the fixed-timestep constraints during neuromorphic chip deployment. This work demonstrates the potential of SNNs with random graph structures in advancing brain-inspired intelligence and lays the foundation for their practical application on neuromorphic hardware.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_11743
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle CogniSNN: Enabling Neuron-Expandability, Pathway-Reusability, and Dynamic-Configurability with Random Graph Architectures in Spiking Neural Networks
Huang, Yongsheng
Duan, Peibo
Wu, Yujie
Sun, Kai
Liu, Zhipeng
Zhang, Changsheng
Zhang, Bin
Xu, Mingkun
Neural and Evolutionary Computing
Artificial Intelligence
Spiking neural networks (SNNs), regarded as the third generation of artificial neural networks, are expected to bridge the gap between artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience. However, most mainstream SNN research directly adopts the rigid, chain-like hierarchical architecture of traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs), ignoring key structural characteristics of the brain. Biological neurons are stochastically interconnected, forming complex neural pathways that exhibit Neuron-Expandability, Pathway-Reusability, and Dynamic-Configurability. In this paper, we introduce a new SNN paradigm, named Cognition-aware SNN (CogniSNN), by incorporating Random Graph Architecture (RGA). Furthermore, we address the issues of network degradation and dimensional mismatch in deep pathways by introducing an improved pure spiking residual mechanism alongside an adaptive pooling strategy. Then, we design a Key Pathway-based Learning without Forgetting (KP-LwF) approach, which selectively reuses critical neural pathways while retaining historical knowledge, enabling efficient multi-task transfer. Finally, we propose a Dynamic Growth Learning (DGL) algorithm that allows neurons and synapses to grow dynamically along the internal temporal dimension. Extensive experiments demonstrate that CogniSNN achieves performance comparable to, or even surpassing, current state-of-the-art SNNs on neuromorphic datasets and Tiny-ImageNet. The Pathway-Reusability enhances the network's continuous learning capability across different scenarios, while the dynamic growth algorithm improves robustness against interference and mitigates the fixed-timestep constraints during neuromorphic chip deployment. This work demonstrates the potential of SNNs with random graph structures in advancing brain-inspired intelligence and lays the foundation for their practical application on neuromorphic hardware.
title CogniSNN: Enabling Neuron-Expandability, Pathway-Reusability, and Dynamic-Configurability with Random Graph Architectures in Spiking Neural Networks
topic Neural and Evolutionary Computing
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.11743