Neural Mass Model of Auditory stimulus responses in Marmoset Cortex

A composite, heterogeneous neural mass model of the marmoset auditory and pre-frontal cortex (pFC) is used to model negativity mismatch experiments. This builds upon previous analysis of a compact pFC cluster. Simulated average deviant response delays were 132 ms for Auditory areas, and 147 ms for pFC areas, comparable to the 100-250 ms experimentally measured range. Details of responses for each anatomical area are presented. Area TPO is a key output node from the auditory cluster with strong links to pFC. Area AuA1 is activated by the deviant, high frequency, stimulus then turns off after the standard stimuli cease. A NMM response and delay is observed in the pFC sub cluster. Inactivation of AuRPB causes ambiguous spikes in AuA1 and reduced responses, consistent with experimental observations. The simulations facilitate analysis of the driving forces arriving at AuA1 and suggest that feedback from AuRPB to AuA1 is carried over multiple local network pathways. The simulations reproduce the experimentally observed delays and dissect the roles of participating areas and pathways.