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Closed-loop Neuro-robotic Experiments to Test Computational Properties of Neuronal Networks

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Published on: March 2, 2015

Reading and writing the neural code.

Garrett B Stanley¹

¹Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. garrett.stanley@bme.gatech.edu

Nature Neuroscience

|February 26, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists are exploring how sensory neuron activity reveals information about the external world. Understanding the neural code involves linking how synchrony in neuronal firing is used to both read and write information.

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Area of Science:

Computational Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience
Neural Coding

Background:

Over 20 years ago, research began investigating how sensory neuron activity reflects external information, posing the question of whether the neural code can be read.
Despite progress, the precise anatomical and neurophysiological constraints governing neural code propagation across synapses remain unclear.
Understanding these constraints is crucial for explaining how neural computations enable environmental interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the relationship between neuronal synchrony and the structure of the neural code.
To investigate how the regulation of synchrony is essential for 'writing' the neural code.
To elucidate the interconnectedness of reading and writing the neural code.

Main Methods:

Analysis of neuronal activity, focusing on spiking patterns and timing.
Investigation of synaptic input timing and its effect on neuronal activity.
Exploration of microcircuit control for artificial regulation of synchrony.

Main Results:

Neuronal activity is highly sensitive to the precise timing of synaptic inputs.
Synchrony in neuronal firing patterns is a key determinant of the neural code's form.
Artificial control of microcircuits can regulate synchrony to 'write' the neural code.

Conclusions:

The timing of synaptic inputs is critical for shaping the neural code.
Regulation of neuronal synchrony is fundamental for both interpreting and generating neural information.
Reading and writing the neural code are intrinsically linked processes.