Abstract
STOCHASTIC resonance1‡-4 (SR) is a phenomenon wherein the response of a nonlinear system to a weak periodic input signal is optimized by the presence of a particular, non-zero level of noise5 ‡-7. SR has been proposed as a means for improving signal detection in a wide variety of systems, including superconducting quantum interference devices8, and may be used in some natural systems such as sensory neurons9‡-15. But for SR to be effective in a singleunit system (such as a sensory neuron or a single ion channel), the optimal intensity of the noise must be adjusted as the nature of the signal to be detected changes15. This has been thought to impose a limitation on the practical and natural uses of SR. Here we show that the ability of a summing network of excitable units to detect a range of weak (sub-threshold) signals (either periodic or aperiodic) can be optimized by a fixed level of noise, irrespective of the nature of the input signal. We also show that this noise does not significantly degrade the ability of the network to detect suprathreshold signals. Thus, large nonlinear networks do not suffer from the limitations of SR in single units, and might be able to use a single noise level, such as that provided by the intrinsic noise of the individual components, to enhance the system's sensitivity to weak inputs. This suggests a functional role for neuronal noise14,16‡-18 in sensory systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benzi, R., Sutera, S. & Vulpiani, A. J. Phys. A14, L453–L457 (1981).
Nicolis, C. Tellus 34, 1–9 (1982).
Benzi, R., Parisi, G., Sutera, A. & Vulpiani, A. Tellus 34, 10–18 (1982).
Fauve, S. & Heslot, F. Phys. Lett. A97, 5–7 (1983).
Moss, F., Pierson, D. & O'Gorman, D. Int. J. Bifurc. Chaos 4, 1383–1397 (1994).
Wiesenfeld, K. & Moss, F. Nature 373, 33–36 (1995).
Jung, P. Phys. Rep. 234, 175–295 (1993).
Hibbs, A. D. et al. J. appl. Phys. 77, 2582–2590 (1995).
Longtin, A., Bulsara, A. & Moss, F. Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 656–659 (1991).
Bulsara, A., Jacobs, E. W., Zhou, T., Moss, F. & Kiss, L. J. theor. Biol. 152, 531–555 (1991).
Douglass, J. K., Wilkens, L., Pantazelou, E. & Moss, F. Nature 365, 337–340 (1993).
Moss, F., Douglass, J. K., Wilkens, L., Pierson, D. & Pantazelou, E. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 706, 26–41 (1993).
Longtin, A. J. J. Statist. Phys. 70, 309–327 (1993).
Chialvo, D. R. & Apkarian, A. V. J. Statist. Phys. 70, 375–391 (1993).
Wiesenfeld, K., Pierson, D., Pantazelou, E., Dames, C. & Moss, F. Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 2125–2129 (1994).
Denk, W. & Webb, W. W. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 207–210 (1989).
Croner, L. J., Purpura, K. & Kaplan, E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 8128–8130 (1993).
Braun, H. A., Wissing, H., Schäfer, K. & Hirsch, M. C. Nature 367, 270–273 (1994).
Shepherd, G. M. Neurobiology, 2nd edn (Oxford Univ. press, 1988).
Pantazelou, E., Moss, F. & Chialvo, D. in Noise in Physical Systems and 1/f Fluctuations (eds Handel, P. H. & Chung, A. L.) 549–552 (Am. Inst. Physics Press, New York, 1993).
Knight, B. W. J. gen. Physiol. 59, 734–766 (1972).
Collins, J. J., Chow, C. C. & Imhoff, T. T. Phys. Rev. Lett. (submitted).
Jung, P., Behn, U., Pantazelou, E. & Moss, F. Phys Rev. A46, R1709–R1712 (1992).
Kiss, L. B. et al. J. statist. Phys. 70, 451–462 (1993).
Bulsara, A. R. & Schmera, G. Phys. Rev. E47, 3734–3737 (1993).
Neiman, A. & Schimansky-Geier, L. Phys. Lett. A197, 379–386 (1995).
Inchiosa, M. E. & Bulsara, A. R. Phys. Lett. A200, 283–288 (1995).
Inchiosa, M. E. & Bulsara, A. R. Phys. Rev. E (in the press).
Inchiosa, M. E., Bulsara, A. R., Lindner, J. F., Meadows, B. K. & Ditto, W. L. in Proc. 3rd Technical Conf. on Nonlinear Dynamics (Chaos) and Full Spectrum Processing (Am. Inst. Physics Press, New York, in the press).
Lindner, J. F., Meadows, B. K., Ditto, W. L., Inchiosa, M. E. & Bulsara, A. R. Phys. Rev. Lett. (in the press).
Kiss, L. B. in Proc. 3rd Technical Conf. on Nonlinear Dynamics (Chaos) and Full Spectrum Processing (Am. Inst. Physics Press, New York, in the press).
Gingl, Z., Kiss, L. & Moss, F. Europhys. Lett. 29, 191–196 (1995).
Kramers, H. A. Physica 7, 284–302 (1940).
De Luca, C. J., LeFever, R. S., McCue, M. P. & Xenakis, A. P. J. Physiol. 329, 113–128 (1982).
Mannella, R. & Palleschi, V. Phys. Rev. A40, 3381–3386 (1989).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Collins, J., Chow, C. & Imhoff, T. Stochastic resonance without tuning. Nature 376, 236–238 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/376236a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/376236a0
This article is cited by
-
Mechanisms underlying treatment effects of vestibular noise stimulation on postural instability in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy
Journal of Neurology (2024)
-
Respiratory entrainment of the locus coeruleus modulates arousal level to avoid physical risks from external vibration
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation improves vestibular perception in bilateral vestibulopathy
Journal of Neurology (2023)
-
How synaptic plasticity affects the stochastic resonance in a modular neuronal network
Nonlinear Dynamics (2022)
-
Combining vestibular rehabilitation with noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation for treatment of bilateral vestibulopathy
Journal of Neurology (2022)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.