Software toolbox for analysis of neural spike train data

了解神经元如何编码和处理信息仍然是神经科学家的主要目标。更好地理解神经编码将具有广泛的临床益处，例如，在神经植入物的设计中。许多研究人员正在记录单个神经元和神经元集合的电尖峰序列，以了解神经编码。目前可用的用于分析单单元和多单元数据的商业软件是不够的，特别是对于分析神经系综记录的增加的需求。很明显，获取多单元数据的技术已经远远超过了目前可用的分析此类数据的方法。该研究计划的长期目标是开发一个MATLAB工具箱，用于基于先进的信号处理和信息理论算法分析单个和集成神经尖峰序列数据。拟议的项目将产生第一个商用软件，以巩固单单位和多单位神经数据的标准和新颖的神经分析技术。第一阶段项目的目标是在MATLAB中开发一个原型软件环境，并研究和开发用于单单位和多单位数据分析的通用算法。拟议的商业应用：尖峰分析软件有许多潜在的用户，包括那些做单单位和多单位记录的研究人员。使用多通道记录的研究人员的数量已经增加，并且随着计算机变得更快和更好的多电极的产生而继续增加。包括多单元技术的尖峰分析软件目前在这个社区的需求，并将继续在需求。

Understanding how neurons code and process information continues to be a major goal of neuroscientists. Better understanding of neural coding would have wide clinical benefits, for example, in the design of neural implants. Many researchers are recording the electrical spike trains of single neurons and ensembles of neurons to learn about neural coding. Currently available commercial software for analysis of single- unit and multi-unit data is not adequate, especially for the increased demands of analyzing neural ensemble recordings. It is clear that the technology to obtain multi-unit data has far outstripped the currently available methods to analyze such data. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop a MATLAB toolbox for the analysis of single and ensemble neural spike train data, based on advanced signal processing and information theoretic algorithms. The proposed project will produce the first commercially available software to consolidate standard and novel neural analysis techniques for both single-unit and multi-unit neural data. The objective of the Phase I project is to develop a prototype software environment in MATLAB and to research and develop general purpose algorithms for the analysis of single-unit and multi-unit data. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: There are many potential users of spike analysis software, including those researchers doing single-unit and multi-unit recordings. The number of researchers using multi-channel recordings has increased and continues to increase as computers become faster and better multi- electrodes are produced. Spike analysis software that includes multi- unit techniques is currently in demand from this community and will continue to be in demand.