Neural codes: Firing rates and beyond

Neural codes: Firing rates and beyond

^*Center for Neuromimetic Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; ^†Max-Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung, Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany; ^‡Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute for Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel; and ^§Innovationskolleg Theoretische Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Computational neuroscience has contributed significantly to our understanding of higher brain function by combining experimental neurobiology, psychophysics, modeling, and mathematical analysis. This article reviews recent advances in a key area: neural coding and information processing. It is shown that synapses are capable of supporting computations based on highly structured temporal codes. Such codes could provide a substrate for unambiguous representations of complex stimuli and be used to solve difficult cognitive tasks, such as the binding problem. Unsupervised learning rules could generate the circuitry required for precise temporal codes. Together, these results indicate that neural systems perform a rich repertoire of computations based on action potential timing.

Footnotes

↵ ¶ To whom reprint requests should be addressed. e-mail: a.herz{at}biologie.hu-berlin.de.
This paper is a summary of a session presented at the third annual German-American Frontiers of Science symposium, held June 20–22, 1997 at the Kardinal Wendel Haus in Munich, Germany.
The Frontiers of Science symposia is the latest in the series “From the Academy,” which is presented occasionally to highlight work of the Academy, including the science underlying reports of the National Research Council.
Abbreviations: AP, action potential; PSC, postsynaptic current.