Statistical inference on spontaneous neuronal discharge patterns. I. Single neuron.

A statistical analysis was performed on extracellularly recorded spike trains of spontaneously active mesencephalic reticular neurons of rats. Only stationary records were used for detailed examination. The moments of interspike intervals were computed, hypothesis of renewal process and its specific forms was tested. Implications for statistical methodology are considered on the basis of the results. The main emphasis is laid on the connection between experimental results and stochastic neuronal models.