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Temporal coding in vision: coding by the spike arrival times leads to oscillations in the case of moving targets

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Abstract

The ‘oscillations’ which have been observed in the visual cortex of cats and monkeys in the case of moving targets are discussed in relation to a temporal coding based on the arrival times of spikes or bursts. A decoding process for this temporal coding is proposed in which neurons work in a correlator mode. In the case of motion analysis, periodic resetting is needed to avoid information jamming. This resetting is proposed to be responsible for the ‘oscillations’. Good initial synchronization is required for the decoding process to be performed efficiently. A diffusive process based on interdendritic ionic currents is proposed and shown to operate efficiently, without any loss of spatial and temporal resolving powers.

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UPR 7061 of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

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Parodi, O., Combe, P. & Ducom, J.C. Temporal coding in vision: coding by the spike arrival times leads to oscillations in the case of moving targets. Biol. Cybern. 74, 497–509 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209421

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