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Unbiased measures of transmitted information and channel capacity from multivariate neuronal data

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Abstract

Two measures from information theory, transmitted information and channel capacity, can quantify the ability of neurons to convey stimulus-dependent information. These measures are calculated using probability functions estimated from stimulus-response data. However, these estimates are biased by response quantization, noise, and small sample sizes. Improved estimators are developed in this paper that depend on both an estimate of the sample-size bias and the noise in the data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory on Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA

    L. M. Optican (Chief) & P. J. Joseph

  2. Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Behesda, Md, USA

    T. J. Gawne & B. J. Richmond

Authors
  1. L. M. Optican
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  2. T. J. Gawne
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  3. B. J. Richmond
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  4. P. J. Joseph
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Additional information

This work was supported in part by Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grant AFOSR-ISSA-88-0073

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Optican, L.M., Gawne, T.J., Richmond, B.J. et al. Unbiased measures of transmitted information and channel capacity from multivariate neuronal data. Biol. Cybern. 65, 305–310 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216963

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216963

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