Context-sensitive associative memory: ´residual excitation´ in neural networks as the mechanism of STM and mental set

Most of the currently popular neural models of associative memory ignore nontrivial temporal processes in neural elements. Such nontemporal models describe interesting effects of spatial cooperation but do not address the problem of temporal coordination and temporal context. Effects such as temporal association, short-term memory, and mental set can be represented naturally in neural models by introducing states of residual excitation (E-states) in the neural elements. One such model illustrating the E-state concept is discussed.<>