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Synaptic neurotransmission is relatively weak, so it is a puzzle how neurons are able to encode complicated pieces of information and then pass this information on to neighboring neurons. In his Perspective, [Abeles][1] explores the results of a new study ([ Ikegaya et al .][2]) that detects patterns of spontaneous neuronal activity repeated with millisecond precision in cortical brain slices. The results suggest that these patterns represent activity in synfire chains, which enable neurons to accurately encode information and transfer it efficiently to their neighbors. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/304/5670/523 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/304/5670/559
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Moshe Abeles (2004) studied this question.
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