# StochasticNet: Forming Deep Neural Networks via Stochastic Connectivity

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1508.05463 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1508.05463/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 22 Aug 2015.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [IV-GNN : Interval Valued Data Handling Using Graph Neural Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.09194/) (2021)
- [Complexity of Activity Patterns in a Bio-Inspired Hopfield-Type Network in Different Topologies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.18758/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Deep neural networks is a branch in machine learning that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity due to its powerful abilities to represent and model high-level abstractions in highly complex data. One area in deep neural networks that is ripe for exploration is neural connectivity formation. A pivotal study on the brain tissue of rats found that synaptic formation for specific functional connectivity in neocortical neural microcircuits can be surprisingly well modeled and predicted as a random formation. Motivated by this intriguing finding, we introduce the concept of StochasticNet, where deep neural networks are formed via stochastic connectivity between neurons. As a result, any type of deep neural networks can be formed as a StochasticNet by allowing the neuron connectivity to be stochastic. Stochastic synaptic formations, in a deep neural network architecture, can allow for efficient utilization of neurons for performing specific tasks. To evaluate the feasibility of such a deep neural network architecture, we train a StochasticNet using four different image datasets (CIFAR-10, MNIST, SVHN, and STL-10). Experimental results show that a StochasticNet, using less than half the number of neural connections as a conventional deep neural network, achieves comparable accuracy and reduces overfitting on the CIFAR-10, MNIST and SVHN dataset. Interestingly, StochasticNet with less than half the number of neural connections, achieved a higher accuracy (relative improvement in test error rate of ~6% compared to ConvNet) on the STL-10 dataset than a conventional deep neural network. Finally, StochasticNets have faster operational speeds while achieving better or similar accuracy performances.