Distortion Distribution of Neural Spike Train Sequence Matching with Optogenetics

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how optogenetic stimulation affects spike train timing and distortion, deriving analytical models for distortion distribution and supporting findings with simulations, advancing understanding of neuronal information transmission.

Contribution

It introduces a simple optogenetic model to analytically derive the distribution of spike timing distortions under different measures, a novel approach in neural spike train analysis.

Findings

Closed-form distortion distribution derived for low target spike rates

Delay and RMS error measures characterized analytically

Simulation results validate the analytical models

Abstract

This paper uses a simple optogenetic model to compare the timing distortion between a randomly-generated target spike sequence and an externally-stimulated neuron spike sequence. Optogenetics is an emerging field of neuroscience where neurons are genetically modified to express light-sensitive receptors that enable external control over when the neurons fire. Given the prominence of neuronal signaling within the brain and throughout the body, optogenetics has significant potential to improve the understanding of the nervous system and to develop treatments for neurological diseases. This paper primarily considers two different distortion measures. The first measure is the delay in externally-stimulated spikes. The second measure is the root mean square error between the filtered outputs of the target and stimulated spike sequences. The mean and the distribution of the distortion is derived in closed form when the target sequence generation rate is sufficiently low. All derived results are supported with simulations. This work is a step towards an analytical model to predict whether different spike trains were observed from the same stimulus, and the broader goal of understanding the quantity and reliability of information that can be carried by neurons.