Complex patterns arise through spontaneous symmetry breaking in dense homogeneous networks of neural oscillators

Recent experiments have highlighted how collective dynamics in networks of brain regions affect behavior and cognitive function. In this paper we show that a simple, homogeneous system of densely connected oscillators representing the aggregate activity of local brain regions can exhibit a rich variety of dynamical patterns emerging via spontaneous breaking of permutation or translational symmetry. Our results connect recent experimental findings and suggest that a range of complicated activity patterns seen in the brain could be explained even without a full knowledge of its wiring diagram.