Impulse-coded and analog signaling in single mechanoreceptor neurons.

Although most sensory neurons convey temporally coded impulses to the central nervous system, certain nonspiking receptors use only graded afferent signals. Each of three large nerve fibers from the lobster oval organ, a mechanoreceptor subserving ventilation, carry both impulses and graded potentials. Thus, both impulse frequency and receptor potential amplitude are available for information transfer.