Table 1.
Transmitting information at low mean rates saves spikes
| Comparison of three kinds of neural cables | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Local edge | Brisk-transient | Super |
| Mean spike rate for cell | 4 Hz | 8 Hz | 40 Hz |
| Bits spike−1 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| Spikes s−1 for 300 bits s−1 traffic over cable | ∼140 | ∼170 | ∼270 |
Cables where each fibre transmits information at 4 Hz (the lowest rate for ganglion cells) and at 8 Hz (median rate for ganglion cells) require similar numbers of spikes to transmit 300 bits s−1. A hypothetical cable with 40 Hz fibres requires substantially more spikes for the same information rate (adapted from Koch et al. 2006).