FIG. 5.

Steps vs. sinusoids. The gain (A) and phase (B) of afferent discharge predicted on the basis of adaptations to step stimuli are compared to the gain and phase determined by direct curve-fitting of sinusoidal responses. —, ideal responses expected for a linear system; - - -, fits to the present data. The close correspondence between the linear case and data illustrate that nonlinearity of afferent adaptation is relatively weak for these stimuli. This comparison accounts for the inhibitory saturation because it was present to equal extents when curve-fitting both the simulated and actual sinusoidal responses (see METHODS).