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In this paper we consider high-dimensional multiclass classification by sparse multinomial logistic regression. We propose first a feature selection procedure based on penalized maximum likelihood with a complexity penalty on the model size and derive the nonasymptotic bounds for misclassification excess risk of the resulting classifier. We establish also their tightness by deriving the corresponding minimax lower bounds. In particular, we show that there is a phase transition between small and large number of classes. The bounds can be reduced under the additional low noise condition. To find a penalized maximum likelihood solution with a complexity penalty requires, however, a combinatorial search over all possible models. To design a feature selection procedure computationally feasible for high-dimensional data, we propose multinomial logistic group Lasso and Slope classifiers and show that they also achieve the minimax order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The minimum description length two-part coding index of resolvability provides a finite-sample upper bound on the statistical risk of penalized likelihood estimators over countable models. However, the bound does not apply to unpenalized maximum likelihood estimation or procedures with exceedingly small penalties. In this paper, we point out a more general inequality that holds for arbitrary penalties. In addition, this approach makes it possible to derive exact risk bounds of order $1/n$ for iid parametric models, which improves on the order $(\log n)/n$ resolvability bounds. We conclude by discussing implications for adaptive estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]