A universal theory of the sensory response requiring no free parameters

A theoretical approach governing the rate response of peripheral neurons is described. This approach bears similarities to Boltzmann’s statistical physics. It is a non-mechanistic approach which is important because while Hodgkin-Huxley-like models can provide a universal description, they are unable to capture the simplicity of the response of an entire neuron. Nor are simplified models often grounded theoretically, and the universality of these models have yet to be demonstrated.

The challenge therefore in understanding the neural response is to demonstrate universality and to provide accurate predictions while avoiding overfitting.

In a series of recent papers following its original development, an approach is detailed which captures the transient response of peripheral neurons (i.e. the “adaptation response”) consisting of spontaneous (SR), peak (PA) and eventual steady-state activity (SS) of a sensory neuron. SS can be shown to be always bounded by the geometric and arithmetic mean of PA and SR. This elegant relationship has been shown to be obeyed in all measurements of auditory neurons and its demonstration requires no selection of parameters. Moreover, the lower bound is obeyed across all sensory modalities and organisms of different phyla.

In conclusion, this theory governs the sensory response universally and its veracity can be verified without the need of any fitting parameters in contrast to virtually all other approaches.