IUBio

Neural Coding

mike mike-anderson at nwu.edu
Sat Oct 21 17:10:18 EST 2000


Me again...  This is a question in regards to a class that i am taking
now, i would ask a TA but it is the weekend and they are unavailable.

The question is basiclly to devise a neural code to transmit a four letter
word "axon" in 400ms (assuming no more than 15 action potentials every 100
ms, so a total of 60 potentials is allowed, the refractory period of the
potential is 5ms).

The way i understand coding is that multiple potentials, as well as the
timing between them, encode information.  I am also aware that there are
different types of coding that have been hypothesized (temporal, place...)
but the time/rate code is the most widely accepted.  So basically, do i
need to devise a code that will have a different number of potentials and
times between them for each letter of the alphabet (i.e., A=1 potential,
Z=26, with only the refractory period between potentials, and an extra
time delay between letters?), or is there an easier way that i could do
this? 

I think this is a fairly basic problem, however, our text does not cover
the encoding of information very well, and i can not seem to find helpful
information on the net.

So if you have any pointers here please post them, also, if there are any
references that i should check out i would be grateful for that info too.

thanks
-mike

-- 
mike
In my dreams i'm dying all the time
http://www.mp3.com/mikeanderson






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