Neuroelectric Signal Analysis Using Nuclear Instrumentation Techniques

A real-time system for nerve spike recognition and separation has been developed. The system is based on the techniques, commonly used in nuclear instrumentation, which have been adapted here for biological signal measuring and processing. Techniques used are signal shaping and optimum noise filtering; pulse peak stretching; peak sampling; pulse shape discrimination and multichannel pulse height analysis. Spectra for nerve pulse heights of the cockroach are shown, for the case of spontaneous activity as well as for evoked activity (e. g. for a living object exposed to radiation wind or light). Similarities and contrasts between nuclear and biomedical signal analysis are discussed.