Overview of the model.

( A ) Excitatory (E) and Inhibitory (I) neurons ( N E = 4 N I (see Methods )) are initially connected via synapses with a connection probability of ( p = 0.02). All synapses (EE, EI, II), other than IE synapses, which are modulated by inhibitory spike-timing dependent plasticity, are static with conductances g EE , g EI , g II , respectively. All synapse sets are modifiable by the structural plasticity mechanism. External Poisson spike stimuli are provided to all excitatory and inhibitory neurons via static synapses with conductances and , respectively. To simulate deafferentation, the subset of these synapses that project onto neurons in the Lesion Projection Zone (LPZ) (represented by dashed lines in the figure) are disconnected. (B) Spatial classification of neurons in relation to the LPZ: LPZ C (centre of LPZ) consists of 2.5% of the neuronal population; LPZ B (inner border of LPZ) consists of 2.5% of the neuronal population; Peri-LPZ (outer border of LPZ) consists of 5% of the neuronal population; Other neurons consist of the remaining 90% of the neuronal population. (Figure not to scale).