A neurocomputational model of stochastic resonance and aging

Stochastic resonance (SR) is fundamental to physical and biological processes. Here, we use a stochastic gain-tuning model to investigate interactions between aging-related increase of endogenous neuronal noise and external input noise in affecting SR. Compared to networks that have optimal system gain parameter of the activation function, networks with attenuated endogenous gain tuning at the system level, simulating aging neurocognitive systems with more intrinsic neuronal noise but less plasticity, continue to exhibit the general SR effect; however, this effect is smaller and requires more external noise. This set of finding suggests that determining the optimal proportion of resonance-inducing external noise as a function of internal-system stochastic gain tuning properties promotes unified theorizing about sensory and cognitive aging at behavioral and neural levels of analysis. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.