Time-interval sequences in bistable systems and the noise-induced transmission of information by sensory neurons

Journal Article · Mon Jul 29 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physical Review Letters; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.67.656· OSTI ID:5272500

Longtin, A ^[1]; Bulsara, A ^[2]; Moss, F ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico (USA). Complex Systems Group Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico (USA). Center for Nonlinear Studies, Theoretical Division B213
2. Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California (USA)
3. Department of Physics, University of Missouri at St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri (USA)

We discuss the two time-interval sequences which play a crucial role in studies of escape times in bistable systems driven by periodic functions embedded in noise. We demonstrate that the probability density of escape times for one of the sequences exhibits all the substantive features of experimental interspike interval histograms recorded from real, periodically forced sensory neurons. Our analysis relies on linking this interval sequence to the firing-reset mechanism of real neurons, and illustrates the importance of the noise, {ital without} {ital which} {ital the} {ital substantive} {ital features} {ital cannot} {ital exist}, for the transmission of sensory information.

• OSTI ID: 5272500
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (United States) Vol. 67:5; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550100* -- Behavioral Biology
551000 -- Physiological Systems
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOELECTRICITY
CATS
DATA PROCESSING
ELECTRICITY
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
MAMMALS
MONKEYS
NERVE CELLS
NOISE
PHYSIOLOGY
PRIMATES
PROCESSING
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO
SOMATIC CELLS
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
VERTEBRATES