Understanding the PSTH response to synaptic input

The response of neurons to current transients in background noise has been studied experimentally by Poliakov et al. (1996). Here, the authors give a theoretical explanation of some of their results. The authors have recently derived the linear response of a population of noisy neurons to a current transient. They apply these theoretical results to the peristimulus time histogram of a single neuron using two noise models. They calculate the filter and compare theory with simulations. The noise transform is seen to have properties similar to the physiological measurements.