PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Anthony M.V. Jakob
AU  - Samuel J. Gershman
TI  - Rate-distortion theory of neural coding and its implications for working memory
AID  - 10.1101/2022.02.28.482269
DP  - 2022 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2022.02.28.482269
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/03/02/2022.02.28.482269.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/03/02/2022.02.28.482269.full
AB  - Rate-distortion theory provides a powerful framework for understanding the nature of human memory by formalizing the relationship between information rate (the average number of bits per stimulus transmitted across the memory channel) and distortion (the cost of memory errors). Here we show how this abstract computational-level framework can be realized by a model of neural population coding. The model reproduces key regularities of visual working memory, including some that were not previously explained by population coding models. We verify a novel prediction of the model by reanalyzing recordings of monkey prefrontal neurons during an oculomotor delayed response task.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.