Peri-event cross-correlation over time for analysis of interactions in neuronal firing

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2008:2008:1903-6. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4649558.

Abstract

Several methods have been described in the literature to verify the presence of couplings between neurons in the brain. In this paper we introduce the peri-event cross-correlation over time (PECCOT) to describe the interaction among the two neurons as a function of the event onset. Instead of averaging over time, the PECCOT averages the cross-correlation over instances of the event. As a consequence, the PECCOT is able to characterize with high temporal resolution the interactions over time among neurons. To illustrate the method, the PECCOT is applied to a simulated dataset and for analysis of synchrony in recordings of a rat performing a go/no go behavioral lever press task. We verify the presence of synchrony before the lever press time and its suppression afterwards.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials
  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Electrophysiological Phenomena
  • Male
  • Models, Neurological
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley