Neurons in our brain are constantly taking in and distributing information, be it sound, sight or touch, everything is getting processed in the real time. But how exactly does this work?
Recent research sheds light on how groups of neurons work together to encode and process information. The study has surfaced some interesting insights about the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain.
Balance Between Excitatory & Inhibitory Neurons is Important
Let’s say, the brain is like a busy city, where green light indicates “go”, similarly, excitatory neurons signal the passing information forward. Inhibitory neurons, on the other hand, act like red lights, slowing things down to prevent chaos. This balance between excitement and inhibition is important, if there’s too much of one or the other, things just won’t run smoothly.
Researchers discovered that the brain works at optimum capacity in terms of encoding sensory information, when this balance is just right. In other words, when both excitatory and inhibitory neurons work in tandem, the effect maximizes the amount of information the brain captures from the outside world. When stimulation is too strong, brain activity can become erratic. If calming signals take over, the brain can slow down and become less responsive.
Brain Thrives on the Edge of Stability
The study explored how much information a small group of brain cells store about things we experience outside, like sounds or lights that change. They used calculations to find out how much the brain’s activity shows what’s going on around it.
The key finding was that the brain operates best when it’s right on the “edge of stability”. It is at this point, the neurons are active enough to respond quickly but not so chaotic that they lose track of the input. It’s like a sweet spot between order and chaos, where the brain is primed to process information efficiently.
I could relate this with the flow, the zone I go into, during my long distance running, when I’m slightly pushing my limits but not overexerting to the point of losing control.
Fast vs. Slow Inputs
The research also showed that the speed of incoming information matters. This means, when the external stimulus changes really fast, the brain cells have a hard time keeping up, and so the neurons don’t share information too well.
On the other hand, if the input changes too slowly, the neurons reach a steady state where they no longer encode anything new. The best encoding happens when the input speed matches the brain’s natural processing rhythm.
Why Brain Balance Matters Beyond the Lab
This balance between excitation and inhibition isn’t just a theoretical concept, rather it has real-world implications. When the balance is off, it’s linked to neurological conditions like epilepsy (where excitation runs unchecked) or disorders like schizophrenia and autism, where information processing is disrupted.
By understanding how the brain optimally encodes information, researchers can explore new ways to study brain disorders and even design better artificial neural networks that mimic the brain’s efficiency.
Takeaway
The brain’s ability to process information totally depends on a sophisticated balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Therefore, this balance ensures that our neural networks remain flexible yet stable, which consequently give rise to clear thinking and decision making. This insight not only helps us understand how we think and perceive the world but also opens doors for studying brain disorders and improving AI systems.
The next time you easily take in everything you see and hear, keep in mind that your brain is doing an amazing job to help you understand it all.
Source: Giacomo Barzon et al, Excitation-Inhibition Balance Controls Information Encoding in Neural Populations, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.068403
