title: Dynamics of encoding in neuron populations: some general mathematical features.
abstract: The use of a population dynamics approach promises efficient simulation of large assemblages of neurons. Depending on the issues addressed and the degree of realism incorporated in the simulated neurons, a wide range of different population dynamics formulations can be appropriate. Here we present a common mathematical structure that these various formulations share and that implies dynamical behaviors that they have in common. This underlying structure serves as a guide toward efficient means of simulation. As an example, we derive the general population firing-rate frequency-response and show how it may be used effectively to address a broad range of interacting-population response and stability problems. A few specific cases will be worked out. A summary of this work appears at the end, before the appendix.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biophysics, Rockefeller University, and Laboratory of Applied Mathematics, Mount Sinai Medical School, New York University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Knight
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D003710:Demography; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D008433:Mathematics; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*