Neural areas

If the subsystem is a neural area, we do not model the neural structure, and we do not attempt to represent the input and output as a set of parallel firing axons. Instead, we represent the information going in, coming out, and being stored in the module by expressions which simply indicate what the information is, not how it is encoded as neural firing patterns in space or time.

Thus, this level of analysis and modeling will not tell us anything about neural structure or neural coding.

A systems approach can help us analyze a great deal about neural systems but using an abstract logical description methodology. We can answer many questions about the system independently from answering questions about neural mechanisms and neural encoding.

A system model can be used as a guide in then constructing a more detailed neural model.

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