Functional analysis of ultra high information rates conveyed by rat vibrissal primary afferents.

ABSTRACT: Sensory receptors determine the type and the quantity of information available for perception. Here, we quantified and characterized the information transferred by primary afferents in the rat whisker system using neural system identification. Quantification of "how much" information is conveyed by primary afferents, using the direct method (DM), a classical information theoretic tool, revealed that primary afferents transfer huge amounts of information (up to 529 bits/s). Information theoretic analysis of instantaneous spike-triggered kinematic stimulus features was used to gain functional insight on "what" is coded by primary afferents. Amongst the kinematic variables tested--position, velocity, and acceleration--primary afferent spikes encoded velocity best. The other two variables cont

SUBMITTER: Chagas AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3852094 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature