Filtered interspike interval encoding by class II neurons

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that FitzHugh--Nagumo class II neurons function as amplitude modulators, filtering inputs by frequency and encoding signal strength through interspike intervals, thus processing both carrier and waveform information.

Contribution

It reveals that class II neurons can simultaneously filter input frequency and encode signal strength via interspike intervals, expanding understanding of neuronal information processing.

Findings

Class II neurons filter inputs based on frequency.

They encode signal strength through interspike intervals.

Neurons act as AM processors passing carrier and waveform information.

Abstract

Dynamics of class II neurons, firing frequencies of which are strongly regulated by the inherent neuronal property, have been extensively studied since the formulation of the Hodgkin--Huxley model in 1952. However, how class II neurons process stimulus information and what kind of external information and internal structure firing patterns of neurons represent are vaguely understood in contrast to firing rate coding by class I neurons. Here we show that the FitzHugh--Nagumo class II neuron simultaneously filters inputs based on the input frequency and represent the signal strength by interspike intervals. In this sense, the class II neuron works as an AM processor that passes the information on the carrier and on the temporal waveform of signals.