The Volterra-Wiener approach in neuronal modeling

Systems identification is being used increasingly in quantitative neurophysiology, including the auditory, visual and somatosensory systems. In this context, the Volterra-Wiener approach, which is an important branch of nonlinear systems identification, has met with considerable success in neuronal systems modeling, as these systems often exhibit complex nonlinear behavior. The Volterra-Wiener approach provides a comprehensive data-driven framework that does not place any a priori assumptions on the system structure. Therefore, it can approximate highly complex nonlinear mappings provided that experimental protocols are carefully designed in order to meet the requirements of the corresponding estimation procedure. In the present paper, we present a brief overview of Volterra-Wiener models and methodologies for their estimation as they relate to modeling neuronal systems. We also examine a specific example from a mechanoreceptor system.