In the population coding framework, we consider how the response distributions affect output distribution. A general theory for the output of neuronal population code is presented when the spike train is a renewal process. Under a given condition on the response distribution, the most probable value of the output distribution is the center of input-preferred values, whereas in the other cases the most improbable value of the output distribution is the center of input-preferred values or there are no most probable states. Depending on the exact form of the response distributions, the variance of the output distributions can either enlarge or reduce the tuning width of the tuning curves.

• Received 3 March 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.59.7246