<p>To review how neurons encode information, please check out <a href="http://nbviewer.ipython.org/github/tcstewar/syde556/blob/master/SYDE%20556%20Lecture%202%20Representation.ipynb" rel="nofollow">these class notes</a> review encoding.</p>

<p>In those notes, you'll notice the intercept $J_{bias}$ and the maximum firing rate $\alpha$ are randomly selected when encoding functions in large populations of neurons. These variations can account for heterogeneity in attributes of neurons.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-22T19:20:26.367Z
2014-10-22T19:20:26.367Z
Seanny123
<p>From what I understand of the <a href="http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/research/nef.html" rel="nofollow">Neurogical Engineering Framework</a> (NEF), groups of neurons are used to compute functions. However, I'm not clear if these calculations take into account neurons of different shapes/sizes and their attributes/uses in the brain. How well does the NEF capture heterogeneity and how is it used?</p>

<theoretical-neuroscience><computational-modeling><nef>
How well does the NEF capture neuronal heterogeneity?
Seanny123
# How well does the NEF capture neuronal heterogeneity?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-22)

From what I understand of the [Neurogical Engineering Framework](http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/research/nef.html) (NEF), groups of neurons are used to compute functions. However, I'm not clear if these calculations take into account neurons of different shapes/sizes and their attributes/uses in the brain. How well does the NEF capture heterogeneity and how is it used?

**Tags:** theoretical-neuroscience, computational-modeling, nef


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2014-10-22. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

To review how neurons encode information, please check out [these class notes](http://nbviewer.ipython.org/github/tcstewar/syde556/blob/master/SYDE%20556%20Lecture%202%20Representation.ipynb) review encoding.

In those notes, you'll notice the intercept $J\_{bias}$ and the maximum firing rate $\alpha$ are randomly selected when encoding functions in large populations of neurons. These variations can account for heterogeneity in attributes of neurons.


---

