Brainwashing random asymmetric "neural" networks

An algorithm for synaptic modification (plasticity) is described by which a recurrently connected network of neuron-like units can organize itself to produce a sequence of activation states that does not repeat itself for a very long time. During the self-organization stage, the connections between the units undergo non-Hebbian modifications, which tend to decorrelate the activity of the units, thereby lengthening the period of the cyclic modes inherent in the network. It is shown that the peridiodicity of the activity rises exponentially with the amount of exposure to this plasticity algorithm. Threshold is also a critical parameter in determining cycle lengths, as is the rate of decay of the fields that accumulate at silent units.