Neural communication systems

Understanding how biological neural systems work needs appropriate models that focus on relevant features of neural activities and ignore irrelevant ones. Here, we propose a new way of describing biological neural systems in terms of abstract communication systems. Such systems use pattern languages formulated as probabilistic continuation rules that determine which communications follow other communications. We apply this framework to define neural communication systems. The formal analysis is followed by a brief interpretation of how the crab stomatogastric ganglion works in the context of the proposed framework. We also discuss further implications of the description of neural systems as abstract communication systems.