| where <math>P(S)</math> is the probability of observing an avalanche of size <math>S\ ,</math> <math>\alpha</math> is the exponent that gives the slope of the power law in a log-log graph, and <math>k</math> is a proportionality constant. For experiments with [[slice culture]]s, the size distribution of avalanches of [[local field potential]]s has an exponent <math>\alpha\approx 1.5\ ,</math> but in recordings of spikes from a different array the exponent is <math>\alpha\approx2.1\ .</math> The reasons behind this difference in exponents are still being explored. It is important to note that a power law distribution is not what would be expected if activity at each electrode were driven independently. An ensemble of uncoupled, Poisson-like processes would lead to an exponential distribution of event sizes. Further, while power laws have been reported for many years in neuroscience in the temporal correlations of single time-series data (e.g., the power spectrum from [[Electroencephalogram|EEG]] (Linkenkaer-Hansen et al, 2001; Worrell et al, 2002), [[Fano factor|Fano]] or [[Allan factor]]s in [[Spike Statistics|spike count statistics]] (Teich et al, 1997), [[neurotransmitter]] secretion times (Lowen et al, 1997), [[ion channel]] fluctuations (Toib et al, 1998), interburst intervals in neuronal cultures (Segev et al, 2002)), they had not been observed from interactions seen in multielectrode data. Thus neuronal avalanches emerge from collective processes in a distributed network. | | where <math>P(S)</math> is the probability of observing an avalanche of size <math>S\ ,</math> <math>\alpha</math> is the exponent that gives the slope of the power law in a log-log graph, and <math>k</math> is a proportionality constant. For experiments with [[slice culture]]s, the size distribution of avalanches of [[local field potential]]s has an exponent <math>\alpha\approx 1.5\ ,</math> but in recordings of spikes from a different array the exponent is <math>\alpha\approx2.1\ .</math> The reasons behind this difference in exponents are still being explored. It is important to note that a power law distribution is not what would be expected if activity at each electrode were driven independently. An ensemble of uncoupled, Poisson-like processes would lead to an exponential distribution of event sizes. Further, while power laws have been reported for many years in neuroscience in the temporal correlations of single time-series data (e.g., the power spectrum from [[Electroencephalogram|EEG]] (Linkenkaer-Hansen et al, 2001; Worrell et al, 2002), [[Fano factor|Fano]] or [[Allan factor]]s in [[Spike Statistics|spike count statistics]] (Teich et al, 1997), [[neurotransmitter]] secretion times (Lowen et al, 1997), [[ion channel]] fluctuations (Toib et al, 1998), interburst intervals in neuronal cultures (Segev et al, 2002)), they had not been observed from interactions seen in multielectrode data. Thus neuronal avalanches emerge from collective processes in a distributed network. |