Activity Regeneration from Silent States in Neuronal Networks with Transient Synaptic Memory

Transient synaptic memory has emerged as a potential mechanism for maintaining short-term information even in the absence of persistent neuronal activity. However, it remains unclear whether the hidden synaptic state alone contains sufficient information to predict the future evolution of neuronal networks after activity has ceased. Here, we introduce a minimal neuronal network model with finite-lifetime synapses and investigate the mechanism underlying spontaneous activity regeneration following complete neuronal silence. We show that the residual synaptic configuration at the first silent state already determines whether network activity terminates after a single activation cycle or spontaneously regenerates an additional cycle. By analyzing this synaptic-memory snapshot, we identify the Latent Excitatory Recruitment (LER) capacity, quantified by the cumulative number of fresh excitatory neurons, as a near-perfect predictor of multi-cycle dynamics without continuing the subsequent network simulation. Remarkably, these distinct dynamical outcomes emerge in an otherwise homogeneous neuronal network, demonstrating that transient synaptic memory alone is sufficient to generate diverse future dynamics. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation for activity regeneration from a residual synaptic state and suggest that short-term memory is encoded not only in ongoing neuronal activity but also in the latent synaptic configuration that preserves the network's capacity to recruit new neuronal assemblies. More broadly, the proposed snapshot-based framework offers a new perspective for predicting and potentially controlling the future evolution of neuronal networks.

Source: arXiv:2607.14000v1 - http://arxiv.org/abs/2607.14000v1 PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.14000v1 Original Link: http://arxiv.org/abs/2607.14000v1