Neural codes: firing rates and beyond
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Updated: Oct 31, 2026

Closed-loop Neuro-robotic Experiments to Test Computational Properties of Neuronal Networks
Published on: March 2, 2015
W Gerstner1, A K Kreiter, H Markram
1Center for Neuromimetic Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne.
Abstract:
Computational neuroscience has contributed significantly to our understanding of higher brain function by combining experimental neurobiology, psychophysics, modeling, and mathematical analysis. This article reviews recent advances in a key area: neural coding and information processing. It is shown that synapses are capable of supporting computations based on highly structured temporal codes. Such codes could provide a substrate for unambiguous representations of complex stimuli and be used to solve difficult cognitive tasks, such as the binding problem. Unsupervised learning rules could generate the circuitry required for precise temporal codes. Together, these results indicate that neural systems perform a rich repertoire of computations based on action potential timing.
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