Dear Students,
during this week and next week we add a new set of mathematical tools to our toolbox of biological modeling: we will show how stochastic processes, models of noise, and concepts such as autocorrelation are used in theoretical neuroscience.
In terms of neuroscience topics, we return for a moment to single neurons. By adding concepts of variability and noise to our neuron models we will be able to address fundamental questions such as: what is the neural code? How reliable is signal-transmission in a single neuron? How can I understand that neurons observed experimentally emit spikes at rather low firing rate and seemingly randomly?
It turns out that once we have added a noise term to our neuron models many open questions can be answered. The mathematical tools are, of course, generic and not limited to the neurosciences but used in many different areas of science and engineering.
I hope that you will enjoy the lectures
Have a good start into the week
Wulfram Gerstner
