Impulse sequences of thalamic neurons — An attempted theoretical interpretation

Abstract

1. In the literature interval distributions of thalamic nerve cell activity have been reported, that sometimes showed a preponderance of brief intervals followed by one or more peaks at a longer interval. These results have been compared with those of a model.

2. The model assumes that impulses via two separate channels impinge upon a nerve cell, and that each impulse gives rise to a response. The intervals between impulses in one channel are distributed according to an exponential or exponential-like function, those in the other channel according to a monomodal (or multimodal) function.

3. Interval distributions and expectation density (autocorrelation) functions of the model, based mainly on Monte Carlo simulations, were compared with those experimentally obtained.

4. Some implications of the double input concept are discussed, and methods are indicated for a more thorough investigation of the adequacy of the model.