Pitch can be coded by monotonic firing rate instead of tuned delay circuits

Evidence

The scheme proposed here dispenses with delays and suggests a scalar code, based on a property which is physiologically well documented. We surmise that entracking neurons at the brain stem level are not tuned to a particular periodicity but all code for a range of periodicities by their monotonic relationship between average firing rate and pitch-related period. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 4494

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines scalar vs vector codes; the scalar code requires no delays and needs no periodicity tuning.