Cited by 528Visual perception and processing mechanismsNeural dynamics and brain functionNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Partitioning neuronal variability

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Goris, Robbe L T, Movshon, J Anthony, Simoncelli, Eero P·2014·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

Responses of sensory neurons differ across repeated measurements. This variability is usually treated as stochasticity arising within neurons or neural circuits. However, some portion of the variability arises from fluctuations in excitability due to factors that are not purely sensory, such as arousal, attention and adaptation. To isolate these fluctuations, we developed a model in which spikes are generated by a Poisson process whose rate is the product of a drive that is sensory in origin and a gain summarizing stimulus-independent modulatory influences on excitability. This model provides an accurate account of response distributions of visual neurons in macaque lateral geniculate nucleus and cortical areas V1, V2 and MT, revealing that variability originates in large part from excitability fluctuations that are correlated over time and between neurons, and that increase in strength along the visual pathway. The model provides a parsimonious explanation for observed systematic dependencies of response variability and covariability on firing rate.

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  • Non-sensory factors such as behavioral state, motor activity, and cross-modal influences affect sensory processing and may together increase response variability.

    “Many non-sensory factors affect sensory processing, including behavioral state, motor activity and cross-modal influences (Gur et al., 1997), and their effects may collectively promote response variability (Ecker and Tolias, 2014; Goris et al., 2014; I-Chun et al., 2015).”

    From Waking state: rapid variations modulate neural and behavioral responses (2015) · cites this paper as Goris et al., 2014

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Authors
Goris, R. L. T., Movshon, J. A., & Simoncelli, E. P.
Affiliations
  • New York University (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Simoncelli, Eero P
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2014-04-28
Volume
17
Issue
6
Pages
858-865
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W2035849979
Cited by
528
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 54 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 61 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 8
FWCI
25.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • Belgian American Educational Foundation
  • Vlaamse regering
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Eye Institute (R37EY004440, EY022428, EY04440, R01EY004440, R01EY022428)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
neural variability, action potential generation, sensory drive, Poisson process, gain modulation, lateral geniculate nucleus, primary visual cortex, visual pathway, firing rate, macaque
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Female, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca mulatta, Macaca nemestrina, Male, Neurons, Photic Stimulation, Visual Cortex, Visual Pathways

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