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. 2010 Mar;4(1):25-35.
doi: 10.1007/s11571-009-9090-4. Epub 2009 Sep 4.

Ecological expected utility and the mythical neural code

Jerome Feldman  1
Affiliations

Ecological expected utility and the mythical neural code

Jerome Feldman. Cogn Neurodyn. 2010 Mar.

Abstract

Neural spikes are an evolutionarily ancient innovation that remains nature's unique mechanism for rapid, long distance information transfer. It is now known that neural spikes sub serve a wide variety of functions and essentially all of the basic questions about the communication role of spikes have been answered. Current efforts focus on the neural communication of probabilities and utility values involved in decision making. Significant progress is being made, but many framing issues remain. One basic problem is that the metaphor of a neural code suggests a communication network rather than a recurrent computational system like the real brain. We propose studying the various manifestations of neural spike signaling as adaptations that optimize a utility function called ecological expected utility.

Keywords: Binding problem; Ecological utility; Grandmother cell; Neural coding; Neuroeconomics; Population code; Spikes.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Model circuit for cross-modal priming (from Feldman , p. 90)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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