Author ORCID Identifier
Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Gary Marsat
Committee Co-Chair
Sadie Bergeron
Committee Member
Kevin Daly
Committee Member
Sarah Farris
Committee Member
Jorge Mejias
Abstract
In this dissertation, I examine how an animal’s nervous system encodes spatially realistic conspecific signals in their environment and how the encoding mechanisms support behavioral sensitivity. I begin by modeling changes in the electrosensory signals exchanged by weakly electric fish in a social context. During this behavior, I estimate how the spatial structure of conspecific stimuli influences sensory responses at the electroreceptive periphery. I then quantify how space is represented in the hindbrain, specifically in the primary sensory area called the electrosensory lateral line lobe. I show that behavioral sensitivity is influenced by the heterogeneous properties of the pyramidal cell population. I further demonstrate that this heterogeneity serves to start segregating spatial and temporal information early in the sensory pathway. Lastly, I characterize the accuracy of spatial coding in this network and predict the role of network elements, such as correlated noise and feedback, in shaping the spatial information. My research provides a comprehensive understanding of spatial coding in the first stages of sensory processing in this system and allows us to better understand how network dynamics shape coding accuracy.
Recommended Citation
Milam, Oak Everette, "Spatial processing of conspecific signals in weakly electric fish: from sensory image to neural population coding" (2023). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12120.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12120