Network Plasticity in Simulated and Living Cortical Networks: Comparison of the Center of Activity Trajectory (CAT) with Other Metrics
Substrate-Integrated Micro-Electrode Arrays, Reutlingen, Germany, July 2006
We study stimulus-induced plasticity in cultured cortical networks as an in vitro model for learning and memory. Lasting changes in functional connectivity have been difficult to detect using standard firing-rate metrics. Here we used a simulated model network to compare the ability of 6 different metrics to quantify network plasticity. We then applied the most successful metric, Center of Activity Trajectory (CAT) and two commonly used ones, to measure functional plasticity in living networks grown on multi-electrode arrays (MEAs).