Surprisingly, approximate line attractor dynamics consistently emerged in the models we fit. These dynamics allowed to sustain cortical activity even though inputs were transient, and were mediated by long-range excitatory connections. [4/7]

We fit latent input-driven dynamical system models to sets of neural recordings + optogenetic perturbations. These models were constrained by known circuit motifs, such as excitatory-only long-range projections. This ensured they remained biologically interpretable and testable. [3/7]