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Linear systems analysis of the limulus retina
Author(s) -
Dodge Frederick A.,
Shapley Robert M.,
Knight Bruce W.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830150104
Subject(s) - limulus , superposition principle , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , lateral inhibition , neuroscience , excitatory postsynaptic potential , physics , biological system , sensitivity (control systems) , noise (video) , retina , mechanism (biology) , biophysics , optics , biology , computer science , artificial intelligence , quantum mechanics , paleontology , electronic engineering , engineering , image (mathematics)
The remarkable sensitivity of the Limulus eye to moving patterns can be explained by the dynamics of the neural mechanisms that transduce light to the firing of nerve impulses. The excitatory generator potential results from the superposition of small discrete potentials triggered by photon absorptions. This mechanism specifies both the frequency response to time‐varying stimuli and the spectral properties of the intrinsic noise. The response to higher frequencies is enhanced by two inhibitory synaptic mechanisms; self‐inhibition that is local to photoreceptors, and lateral inhibition that depends on the activity in neighboring photoreceptors. Analysis of these mechanisms yields a mathematical model that accounts for both the deterministic and the stochastic components in the spike train.