<h1>Synapse Information Processing</h1>

<p>In the <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/tags/nef/info">Neural Engineering Framework</a> (NEF), synapses are:</p>

<ol>
<li>Leveraged to provide filtering of spikes at different time scales. This allows for <a href="http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/publications/abrams2017.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">managing heterogeneity in neurons</a>, as well as <a href="http://nbviewer.jupyter.org/github/celiasmith/syde556/blob/master/SYDE%20556%20Lecture%203%20Temporal%20Representation.ipynb" rel="nofollow noreferrer">allowing to trade-off speed of response for information integration over time</a>.</li>
<li>Used to create dynamical systems using these filtered spikes including <a href="https://www.nengo.ai/nengo/examples.html#principle-3-dynamics" rel="nofollow noreferrer">oscillators, integrators</a> and <a href="https://github.com/arvoelke/delay2017/blob/1d705612a2cb31de9542884a884dc28eb8604cbf/delay2017.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">temporal memory networks</a>.</li>
</ol>

<p>In all of these cases, information can be lost. However, this is always framed as a trade-off between informational integrity (which can be measured various ways, such as how well a signal is classified, how well a dynamical system is approximated, how much information is compressed over time) and resource use.</p>

<h1>Retransmission as Information Recovery</h1>

<p>In the context of the brain, TCP doesn't really make sense. TCP assumes there is a copy of the information that is desired to be transmitted somewhere, but that's usually not the case in the brain. That being said, there is something called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baddeley%27s_model_of_working_memory#Phonological_loop" rel="nofollow noreferrer">phonological loop</a> which appears to be a short term store of what was heard. Consequently, you could interpret this replay as a retransmission and consider it to be information recovery.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T15:43:44.950Z
2017-10-30T19:57:24.837Z
2017-10-30T19:57:24.837Z
Seanny123
<p>Can information be lost while traveling through neurotransmitters, if so then why? If information can be lost while traveling then is it possible to retransmit them and put back in order? For example data can be lost while traveling through network therefore we need to use <strong>TCP</strong> (transmission control protocol).</p>

<p>If information can be lost while traveling through neurotransmitter. Then is it possible that, not being able to remember something you want or remembering something that are not in their orders?</p>

<theoretical-neuroscience>
Can information be lost while traveling through neurotransmitters?
RazyDave
# Can information be lost while traveling through neurotransmitters?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-14)

Can information be lost while traveling through neurotransmitters, if so then why? If information can be lost while traveling then is it possible to retransmit them and put back in order? For example data can be lost while traveling through network therefore we need to use **TCP** (transmission control protocol).

If information can be lost while traveling through neurotransmitter. Then is it possible that, not being able to remember something you want or remembering something that are not in their orders?

**Tags:** theoretical-neuroscience


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-10-15. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

# Synapse Information Processing

In the [Neural Engineering Framework](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/tags/nef/info) (NEF), synapses are:

1. Leveraged to provide filtering of spikes at different time scales. This allows for [managing heterogeneity in neurons](http://compneuro.uwaterloo.ca/publications/abrams2017.html), as well as [allowing to trade-off speed of response for information integration over time](http://nbviewer.jupyter.org/github/celiasmith/syde556/blob/master/SYDE%20556%20Lecture%203%20Temporal%20Representation.ipynb).
2. Used to create dynamical systems using these filtered spikes including [oscillators, integrators](https://www.nengo.ai/nengo/examples.html#principle-3-dynamics) and [temporal memory networks](https://github.com/arvoelke/delay2017/blob/1d705612a2cb31de9542884a884dc28eb8604cbf/delay2017.pdf).

In all of these cases, information can be lost. However, this is always framed as a trade-off between informational integrity (which can be measured various ways, such as how well a signal is classified, how well a dynamical system is approximated, how much information is compressed over time) and resource use.

# Retransmission as Information Recovery

In the context of the brain, TCP doesn't really make sense. TCP assumes there is a copy of the information that is desired to be transmitted somewhere, but that's usually not the case in the brain. That being said, there is something called the [phonological loop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baddeley%27s_model_of_working_memory#Phonological_loop) which appears to be a short term store of what was heard. Consequently, you could interpret this replay as a retransmission and consider it to be information recovery.


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