A nonlinear filter algorithm for the detection of jumps in patch-clamp data

Abstract

This paper presents a new algorithm for the detection of channel openings and closures from noisy current signals, especially for the correct generation and interpretation of open-time and closed-time histograms. The Hinkley detector is a nonlinear off-line jump detection algorithm from the field of fault detection. Here, an improved version, the higher-order Hinkley detector H.O.H.D., is developed. A general description of the sensitivity of a detector is introduced by the time resolution tres. This allows a comparison of the nonlinear detectors with the standard threshold detectors preceded by a low-pass filter for noise suppression. By means of application to simulated and real data, the performance of the detection algorithms is investigated. The higher-order Hinkley detector gave the best results with respect to correct reconstruction of the event length, to a small amount of missed brief events as well as to the ability to achieve short time resolution without pretending false events, especially in the presence of colored noise.