Fig 1. A learning mechanism that leads to prospective coding.

A The signal to be predicted (target input) originates from the green neuron and depolarizes the black neuron (gray trace) such that it spikes (black lines). The synaptic connection between a blue neuron and the black neuron is strengthened if pre- and postsynaptic spikes lie within the red plasticity window of potentiation, which is slightly broader than a typical postsynaptic potential. B Due to the strengthened connection (red circle), the black neuron spikes already before the target input arrives. Since earlier presynaptic spikes now also lie within the potentiating plasticity window, the activity of the black neuron will be anticipated earlier, giving rise to prospective coding. C A spiking neuron receives input through plastic dendritic synapses with strengths w_i and an input I through static (i.e. non-plastic) synapses. The somatic membrane potential U is well approximated by the sum of attenuated dendritic input $V_w^{*}$ and attenuated somatic input U*.