Information storage capacity of synaptic connectivity patterns

Stepanyants, A., Hof, P. R., Chklovskii, D. B. (June 2002) Information storage capacity of synaptic connectivity patterns. Neurocomputing, 44. pp. 661-665. ISSN 0925-2312

Abstract

How much information can be encoded in synaptic connectivity patterns through formation and elimination of dendritic spines? To answer this question, we perform geometrical analysis and derive an expression for the number of potential synapses, i.e. the number of axons that pass within a spine length of a given dendrite. We evaluate this expression by using our measurements and existing anatomical data, and find that the ratio of actual to potential synapses is 0.26 in mouse neocortex, 0.18 in rat hippocampus, and 0.12–0.23 in macaque visual cortex. Consequently, mammalian synaptic connectivity patterns may encode up to 3–5 bits per synapse.

Item Type:	Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Synaptic connectivity patterns Dendritic spines Geometrical analysis
Subjects:	organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dendritic cells > dendritic spines organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dendritic cells > dendritic spines organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dendritic cells > dendritic spines organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell functions > synaptic transmission
CSHL Authors:	Chklovskii, Dmitri B. Stepanyants, Armen
Communities:	CSHL labs > Chklovskii lab
Depositing User:	Matt Covey
Date:	June 2002
Date Deposited:	30 Oct 2013 20:19
Last Modified:	30 Oct 2013 20:19
URI:	https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/28795

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