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Does the 1/f frequency-scaling of brain signals reflect self-organized critical states?

Claude Bedard·Helmut Kroeger·Alain Destexhe
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Abstract

Many complex systems display self-organized critical states characterized by 1/f frequency scaling of power spectra. Global variables such as the electroencephalogram, scale as 1/f, which could be the sign of self-organized critical states in neuronal activity. By analyzing simultaneous recordings of global and neuronal activities, we confirm the 1/f scaling of global variables for selected frequency bands, but show that neuronal activity is not consistent with critical states. We propose a model of 1/f scaling which does not rely on critical states, and which is testable experimentally.

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Claude Bedard, Helmut Kroeger, Alain Destexhe. 2006-08-15. Does the 1/f frequency-scaling of brain signals reflect self-organized critical states?. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.97.118102

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