Preprint: Why Have Dendrites?

[Bartlett Mel]

The following preprint is now available:

=========================================================

"Why Have Dendrites?  A Computational Perspective"

Bartlett W. Mel
Biomedical Engineering Department
University of Southern California

-----
To appear in "Dendrites". G. Stuart, N. Spruston, & M. Hausser, (Eds.),
Oxford University Press, 1999. 

Download: http://lnc.usc.edu/abstracts/99.mel_dendrites.html
18 pages, 431K gzipped postscript
-----

ABSTRACT

In most neurons, dendrites receive the vast bulk of the cell's 
synaptic input. But why do dendrites exist? What benefits do
they confer upon a neuron? What computing operations are
carried out in dendritic trees which could not occur within an
electrically compact neuron? In this chapter we consider
evidence from both physiological and computer modeling studies
suggesting that dendrites provide space for a large number of
compartmentalized nonlinear synaptic interactions. We thus
narrow our sights to consider only those forms of dendritic
integration in which spatial de-localization of synaptic inputs
is a necessary feature of the postsynaptic computation. We
illustrate the power and generality of this view of dendritic
function by enumerating several diverse ways in which
intradendritic computations could contribute to known nonlinear
receptive field properties in visual cortex.

-- 

 Bartlett W. Mel                               (213)740-0334, -3397(lab)
 Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering (213)740-0343 fax
 University of Southern California, OHE 500     mel at lnc.usc.edu,
http://lnc.usc.edu
                             
     US Mail: BME Department, MC 1451, USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089
       Fedex: 3650 McClintock Ave, 500 Olin Hall, LA, CA 90089