Dynamics of specialization in neural modules under resource constraints
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OA Location
Author(s)
Béna, Gabriel
Goodman, Daniel
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The brain is structurally and functionally modular, although recent evidence has raised questions about the extent of both types of modularity. Using a simple, toy artificial neural network setup that allows for precise control, we find that structural modularity does not in general guarantee functional specialization (across multiple measures of specialization). Further, in this setup (1) specialization only emerges when features of the environment are meaningfully separable, (2) specialization preferentially emerges when the network is strongly resource-constrained, and (3) these findings are qualitatively similar across several different variations of network architectures. Finally, we show that functional specialization varies dynamically across time, and these dynamics depend on both the timing and bandwidth of information flow in the network. We conclude that a static notion of specialization is likely too simple a framework for understanding intelligence in situations of real-world complexity, from biology to brain-inspired neuromorphic systems.
Date Issued
2025-01-02
Date Acceptance
2024-12-02
Citation
Nature Communications, 2025, 16
ISSN
2041-1723
Publisher
Nature Portfolio
Journal / Book Title
Nature Communications
Volume
16
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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Subjects
Neural Networks, Computer
Brain
Models, Neurological
Humans
Nerve Net
Brain
Nerve Net
Humans
Models, Neurological
Neural Networks, Computer
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 187