Physics of Psychophysics: Stevens and Weber-Fechner laws are transfer functions of excitable media

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Sensory arrays made of coupled excitable elements can improve both their input sensitivity and dynamic range due to collective non-linear wave properties. This mechanism is studied in a neural network of electrically coupled (e.g. via gap junctions) elements subject to a Poisson signal process. The network response interpolates between a Weber-Fechner logarithmic law and a Stevens power law depending on the relative refractory period of the cell. Therefore, these non-linear transformations of the input level could be performed in the sensory periphery simply due to a basic property: the transfer function of excitable media.
4 pages, 5 figures

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Disordered Systems and Neural Networks, Statistical Mechanics, Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases, Biological Physics, Neurons and Cognition

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http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/96743

Consulte el texto completo en el siguiente enlace:

https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0112395
 http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0112395
 Physical Review E, 65, 060901 (2002)
 doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.65.060901

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arXiv