Comparison of models for subtractive and shunting lateral-inhibition in receptor-neuron fields

SummaryTwo types of neuronal lateral inhibition in one-dimensional fields of receptors and neurons are considered. The first type, which has been demonstrated in the eye of Limulus, is called subtractive inhibition (SI): it assumes that neuronal activity depends on the difference between the total excitation and inhibition. The second type is called shunting inhibition (SHI): it assumes that inhibitory influences cause a shunting of a portion of the excitation-produced depolarizing current. Consideration of the shunting model is dictated by its considerable physiological plausibility. The actions of SI and SHI, examined for a variety of coupling conditions and time-stationary positive inputs, are shown to be markedly different. The results indicate that SI is most suited for obtaining (1) a linearity between input and output, (2) a contrasting effect that does not depend on the presence of input discontinuities, and (3) contrasting whose degree is independent of input amplitude. SI is especially useful if coupling coefficients can be varied to accommodate the various input form functions or if, for fixed coupling coefficients, the class of input form functions is limited. On the other hand SHI appears most suited for obtaining (1) a nonlinear input-output relation, (2) a relative contrasting only of discontinuities, and (3) a dependence of the contrasting upon input amplitude.

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