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Broadband neural encoding in the cricket cercal sensory system enhanced by stochastic resonance.
- Source :
-
Nature [Nature] 1996 Mar 14; Vol. 380 (6570), pp. 165-8. - Publication Year :
- 1996
-
Abstract
- Sensory systems are often required to detect a small amplitude signal embedded in broadband background noise. Traditionally, ambient noise is regarded as detrimental to encoding accuracy. Recently, however, a phenomenon known as stochastic resonance has been described in which, for systems with a nonlinear threshold, increasing the input noise level can actually improve the output signal-to-noise ratio over a limited range of signal and noise strengths. Previous theoretical and experimental studies of stochastic resonance in physical and biological systems have dealt exclusively with single-frequency sine stimuli embedded in a broadband noise background. In the past year it has been shown in a theoretical and modelling study that stochastic resonance can be observed with broadband signals. Here we demonstrate that broadband stochastic resonance is manifest in the peripheral layers of neural processing in a simple sensory system, and that it plays a role over a wide range of biologically relevant stimulus parameters. Further, we quantify the functional significance of the phenomenon within the context of signal processing, using information theory.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0028-0836
- Volume :
- 380
- Issue :
- 6570
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Nature
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8600392
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/380165a0