The rate of information transfer at graded-potential synapses
The rate of information transfer at graded-potential synapses
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DOI：
10.1038/379642a0
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发表时间：
1996-02-15
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Laughlin, SB
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
vanSteveninck, RRD;Laughlin, SB
对尖峰神经元传输信息的速率几乎没有估计(1-5)，也没有对突触传输分级信号的速率进行估计。我们测量了绿头苍蝇 (Calliphora vicina) 光感受器通过化学突触向大单极细胞 (LMC) 传输信息的速率。这些非尖峰细胞的分级响应每秒传输高达 1,650 位，是尖峰神经元中测量的最高速率的五倍 (3)。感觉系统中非尖峰神经元的广泛存在可以很好地反映这种优越的性能。比较突触前和突触后细胞的传输速率，我们估计每个突触活动区传输类似于 50 位 s(-1)。该估计假设活动区域产生的噪声具有统计独立性，并利用光感受器-LMC 突触的详细形态测量分析(6,7)。这些测量为量化突触机制的性能和理解突触传递和尖峰编码对神经计算的限制提供了基准。
THERE are few estimates of the rates at which spiking neurons transmit information(1-5), and none for synapses transmitting graded signals, We have measured the rates at which blowfly (Calliphora vicina) photoreceptors transmit information through chemical synapses to large monopolar cells (LMCs), The graded responses of these non-spiking cells transmit as much as 1,650 bits per second, five times the highest rates measured in spiking neurons(3). The widespread occurrence of non-spiking neurons in sensory systems could well reflect this superior performance. Comparing transmission rates in pre- and postsynaptic cells, we estimate that each synaptic active zone transmits similar to 50 bits s(-1). This estimate assumes statistical independence of the noise generated at active zones and makes use of a detailed morphometric analysis of photoreceptor-LMC synapses(6,7). These measurements provide a benchmark for quantifying the performance of synaptic mechanisms and for understanding the limitations that synaptic transmission and spike coding place upon neural computation.