Neural Dynamics: Their Nonlinear Basis and Computational Consequences

大脑使用动作电位来编码信息，动作电位是由单个神经元产生的短脉冲电流。知觉、认知和运动控制都依赖于脉冲编码的信息得到适当的处理。想象一下，如果你大脑中的神经元开始错误地产生尖峰信号，会发生什么。感知可能会被扭曲，思维受损，运动控制能力丧失。这就是说，了解神经元如何产生尖峰信号是理解大脑如何工作的关键。

The brain encodes information using action potentials, or spikes, which are short pulses of electricity generated by individual neurons. Perception, cognition, and motor control all rely on spike-encoded information being properly processed. Just imagine what would happen if the neurons in your brain started producing spikes incorrectly... perceptions could become distorted, thinking impaired, and motor control lost. This to say that understanding how neurons produce spikes is key to understanding how the brain works.