An analysis of the oscillatory patterns in the central nervous system with the wavelet method

Abstract

This paper discusses a simple application of the wavelet transformation to analyse nerve cell impulse patterns. The action potentials converted into delta, or Dirac, functions were convoluted in the time domain with a modified Gauss (the negative of the second derivative of Gauss) function, varying in width between 0.6 and 384 ms. The width of the Gauss function was varied in 640 steps. Some parts of the transformation were extended, analysed and averaged in the frequency domain to explore oscillatory components of the impulse pattern. The sequences of action potentials of retinal ganglion cells evoked by short flashes are taken as examples. The present analysis demonstrate some properties of mathematical “microscopic” application to transient responses of the central nervous system (CNS), whereby the degree of magnification (steps of transformation) was varied.