Dynamics of Small Neural Populations

Focuses on systems composed of 2-3 neurons. This book explores time-delayed feedback control, noise, and statistical properties of neurons and large neural populations.

This book arose from a series of lectures presented at the CRM Summer School in Mathematical Biology held at the University of British Columbia in the summer of 1993 by John Milton, a clinical neurologist and biomathematician. In this work, three themes are explored: time-delayed feedback control, noise, and statistical properties of neurons and large neural populations.This volume focuses on systems composed of 2-3 neurons. Such neural populations are small enough to permit experimental manipulation while at the same time are well enough characterized so that plausible mathematical models can be posed. Thus, direct comparisons between theory and observation are in principle possible. Following are the features: first text to review the effects of time delays and noise on neural control; accessible to both neurobiologists and mathematicians; emphasis on problems for which comparisons between observation and prediction are possible; self-contained and succinctly written; and, excellent source for potential research topics.