SpikingNeuronModels

SpikingNeuronModels
SpikingNeuronModels:Neuronsinthebraincommunicatebyshortelectricalpulses,theso-calledactionpotentialsorspikes.Howcanweunderstandtheprocessofspikegeneration?Howcanweunderstandinformationtransmissionbyneurons?Whathappensifthousandsofneuronsarecoupledtogetherinaseeminglyrandomnetwork?Howdoesthenetworkconnectivitydeterminetheactivitypatterns?And,viceversa,howdoesthespikeactivityinfluencetheconnectivitypattern?Thesequestionsareaddressedinthisintroductorytextaimedatthosetakingcoursesincomputationalneuroscience,theoreticalbiology,neuronalmodeling,biophysics,orneuralnetworks.Theauthorsfocusonphenomenologicalapproachessothatbeginnerscangettogripswiththetheoreticalconceptsbeforeconfrontingthewealthofdetailinbiologicalsystems.ThebookisinthreePartsdealing,inorder,withneuronsandconnections,collectivebehaviorinnetworks,andsynapticplasticityanditsroleinlearning,memory,anddevelopment.Eachchapterendswithaliteraturesurvey,andacomprehensivebibliographyisincluded.Assuchthebookwillalsointroducereaderstocurrentresearch.