Before revision:  Here, we address this question by developing a generalized theoretical framework that formally describes how in any physically constructible geometric network, the geome- try of the network i.e. its physical structure, constrains and bounds signaling and the flow of information through the network. This then in turn predicts the emergent dynamics of the network. Our results illustrate how the in- terplay between strictly local geometric and temporal process at the scale of individual node pairs directly affects the behavior of the whole network. We also provide empirical evidence that at least some important examples of widely different naturally occurring and engineered networks follow these theoretical principles .
After revision:  Here, we address this question by developing a generalized theoretical framework that formally describes how in any physically constructible geometric network, the internal refractory dynamics and processing times of the downstream node. One of the main theoretical results is the definition of a ratio between the speed of signaling or information flow, which is bounded by the spatial geometry, and the internal time it takes for individual nodes to process incoming signals. We show that an optimal ratio is one where the speed of information propagation between connected nodes does not exceed the internal dynamic time scale of the nodes. A mismatch of this ratio leads to sub-optimal signaling and information flows in a network, and even a breakdown in signaling all together .