A minimum-error, energy-constrained neural encoder predicts an instantaneous spike-rate code

Erik C Johnson ,Rama Ratnam,Douglas L Jones

doi:10.1186/1471-2202-16-s1-p201

Abstract

A minimum-error, energy-constrained neural encoder predicts an instantaneous spike-rate code

Highlights

An action potential is metabolically expensive to generate, and it is likely that selective pressure has been exerted on the nervous system to generate energy-efficient neural codes [1]
An additional constraint in sensory systems is that the encoding should represent stimuli with minimal error
We postulate that this leads to a trade-off between energy expenditure and encoding error, and propose that an optimal neural code should minimize encoding error subject to a constraint on the energy expended

Summary

Introduction

An action potential (spike) is metabolically expensive to generate, and it is likely that selective pressure has been exerted on the nervous system to generate energy-efficient neural codes [1]. An additional constraint in sensory systems is that the encoding should represent stimuli with minimal error.

Results

Conclusion