Oscillations in the beta/low gamma range (10–45 Hz) are recorded in diverse neural
structures. They have successfully been modeled as sparsely synchronized oscillations
arising from reciprocal interactions between randomly connected excitatory (E) pyramidal
cells and local interneurons (I). The synchronization of spatially distant oscillatory spiking
E–I modules has been well-studied in the rate model framework but less so for modules
of spiking neurons. Here, we first show that previously proposed modifications of
rate models provide a quantitative description of spiking E–I modules of Exponential
Integrate-and-Fire (EIF) neurons. This allows us to analyze the dynamical regimes
of sparsely synchronized oscillatory E–I modules connected by long-range excitatory
interactions, for two modules, as well as for a chain of such modules. For modules with
a large number of neurons (> 105
), we obtain results similar to previously obtained ones
based on the classic deterministic Wilson-Cowan rate model, with the added bonus
that the results quantitatively describe simulations of spiking EIF neurons. However, for
modules with a moderate (∼ 104
) number of neurons, stochastic variations in the spike
emission of neurons are important and need to be taken into account. On the one hand,
they modify the oscillations in a way that tends to promote synchronization between
different modules. On the other hand, independent fluctuations on different modules tend
to disrupt synchronization. The correlations between distant oscillatory modules can be
described by stochastic equations for the oscillator phases that have been intensely
studied in other contexts. On shorter distances, we develop a description that also takes
into account amplitude modes and that quantitatively accounts for our simulation data.
Stochastic dephasing of neighboring modules produces transient phase gradients and
the transient appearance of phase waves. We propose that these stochastically-induced
phase waves provide an explanative framework for the observations of traveling waves
in the cortex during beta oscillations.