Relations between time-and frequency-domain measures of signal transmission from cutaneous afferents to dorsal horn neurons.
In pentobarbitone-anesthetized cats, the spike sequences of dorsal horn neurons were recorded in response to random stimulation of branches of the suralis nerve. Combined frequency- and time-domain analysis was performed on the stimulus and spike trains. Coherence function estimates computed by spectral analysis were compared with peristimulus time histograms (PSTHs). The cell responses were divided into 4 main types: PSTHs with a single high and narrow peak were associated with broad-range high coherence; PSTHs with two (or sometimes 3) distinct peaks concurred with a coherence which was high a low frequencies, low at intermediate ones and higher again at high frequencies; broad unstructured PSTH peaks of varying height concurred with coherence declining from high values at low frequencies to lower values at higher ones; and small and broad PSTH peaks were associated with generally low coherence. Thus, the variation of coherence with frequency depends on the precise pattern of cell discharge.
Kuipers
U
U
Zentrum Physiologie und Pathophysiologie, Universität Göttingen, F.R.G.
Laouris
Y
Y
Kokkoroyiannis
T
T
Meyer-Lohmann
J
J
Windhorst
U
U
D000200:Action Potentials; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*