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. 1972 Mar;12(3):295–322. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(72)86087-9

The Frequency Response, Coherence, and Information Capacity of Two Neuronal Models

R B Stein, A S French, A V Holden
PMCID: PMC1484090  PMID: 5016114

Abstract

Two neuronal models are analyzed in which subthreshold inputs are integrated either without loss (perfect integrator) or with a decay which follows an exponential time course (leaky integrator). Linear frequency response functions for these models are compared using sinusoids, Poisson-distributed impulses, or gaussian white noise as inputs. The responses of both models show the nonlinear behavior characteristic of a rectifier for sinusoidal inputs of sufficient amplitude. The leaky integrator shows another nonlinearity in which responses become phase locked to cyclic stimuli. Addition of white noise reduces the distortions due to phase locking. Both models also show selective attenuation of high-frequency components with white noise inputs. Input, output, and cross-spectra are computed using inputs having a broad frequency spectrum. Measures of the coherence and information transmission between the input and output of the models are also derived. Steady inputs, which produce a constant “carrier” rate, and intrinsic sources, which produce variability in the discharge of neurons, may either increase or decrease coherence; however, information transmission using inputs with a broad spectrum is generally increased by steady inputs and reduced by intrinsic variability.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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