Coding for stimulus intensity as frequency

Stimulus intensity is encoded by the mean frequency with which a sensory neuron fires. This
is called frequency modulated (FM) coding. Broadly speaking, the behavior of afferents
falls into two categories depending on the nature of their sensory receptor. Slowly adapting
receptors respond to a protracted stimulus for as long as the stimulus last, causing its sensory
neuron to fire repetitively with a frequency that relates to the magnitude of the stimulus.
These neurons exhibit static (tonic) response to a constant stimulus. In contrast, rapidly
adapting receptors respond only briefly to a constant stimulus because they soon become
insensitive, or adapt, to it. These receptors respond best to changes in stimulus intensity. Their
afferents show dynamic (phasic) responses. Many afferents display a mixture of dynamic
and static response.

The beginning and end of a stimulus will be signaled by changes in the rates of firing of
slowly adapting afferents, and by transient burst of firing from rapidly adapting afferents. In
this way stimulus duration is encoded.

The relationship between stimulus intensity and response for static cells may be a simple
linear one, as for example in skin thermoreceptor afferents. Often however the relationship is
more complicated. Commonly, for example, the firing rate is linear with respect to the
logarithm (log10) of the stimulus intensity. Many skin mechanoreceptors and photoreceptors
fall into this category. This type of relationship allows a very wide range of stimulus
intensities to be encoded by quite small differences in firing frequency. It has the
disadvantage, however, that as intensity gets higher the ability to discriminate differences in
intensity falls off.

Longstaff A. Neuroscience. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Group; c2005. 107-8 p.