  We consider a sparse random network of excitatory leaky integrate-and-fire
neurons with short-term synaptic depression. Furthermore to mimic the dynamics
of a brain circuit in its first stages of development we introduce for each
neuron correlations among in-degree and out-degree as well as among
excitability and the corresponding total degree, We analyze the influence of
single neuron stimulation and deletion on the collective dynamics of the
network. We show the existence of a small group of neurons capable of
controlling and even silencing the bursting activity of the network. These
neurons form a functional clique since only their activation in a precise order
and within specific time windows is capable to ignite population bursts.
