Measures of neuronal response based on nonparametric tests

Two response indices characterizing the stimulus effect on spontaneously active neurons are developed. They are based on a non-parametric comparison of interspike interval distributions under the spontaneous and the stimulus condition. The response indices obtained with repeated stimuli can be combined into a single multiple-trial index. The method is tested both with different types of simulated spike activity and with actual single unit activity recorded from an auditory centre of a songbird.Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within Sonderforschungsbereich 114 (Bionach)