Can ephapticity contribute to brain complexity?

Abstract

The inquiry into the origin of brain complexity remains a pivotal question in neuroscience. While synaptic stimuli are acknowledged as significant, their efficacy often falls short in elucidating the extensive interconnections of the brain and nuanced levels of cognitive integration. Recent advances in neuroscience have brought the mechanisms underlying the generation of highly intricate dynamics, emergent patterns, and sophisticated oscillatory signals into question. Within this context, our study, in alignment with current research, postulates the hypothesis that ephaptic communication, in addition to synaptic mediation's, may emerge as a prime candidate for unraveling optimal brain complexity. Ephaptic communication, hitherto little studied, refers to direct interactions of the electric field between adjacent neurons, without the mediation of traditional synapses (electrical or chemical). We propose that these electric field couplings may provide an additional layer of connectivity that facilitates the formation of complex patterns and emergent dynamics in the brain. In this investigation, we conducted a comparative analysis between two types of networks utilizing the Quadratic Integrate-and-Fire Ephaptic model (QIF-E): (I) a small-world synaptic network (ephaptic-off) and (II) a mixed composite network comprising a small-world synaptic network with the addition of an ephaptic network (ephaptic-on). Utilizing the Multiscale Entropy methodology, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the responses generated by both network configurations, with complexity assessed by integrating across all temporal scales. Our findings demonstrate that ephaptic coupling enhances complexity under specific topological conditions, considering variables such as time, spatial scales, and synaptic intensity. These results offer fresh insights into the dynamics of communication within the nervous system and underscore the fundamental role of ephapticity in regulating complex brain functions.